


"soulless, evil, deserving nothing but death"

by ouzell



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alcohol, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Animal Attack, Bisexual Sirius Black, Black Family (Harry Potter) - Freeform, Blood, Blood and Gore, Blood and Violence, Bubble Bath, Cigarettes, Dreams and Nightmares, First War with Voldemort, Getting to Know Each Other, Gore, Internal Conflict, M/M, Nightmares, Order of the Phoenix (Harry Potter), Other Additional Tags to Be Added, POV Remus Lupin, POV Romulus Lupin, POV Sirius Black, Romulus AU, Scenting, Shock, Sirius Black & James Potter Friendship, Sirius Black's Flying Motorbike, Slow Build, Small Towns, Tags May Change, Werewolf Culture, Young James Potter, Young Remus Lupin, Young Romulus Lupin, Young Sirius Black, abuse mention, fenrir greyback - Freeform, gun mention
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-18
Updated: 2018-11-04
Packaged: 2019-06-29 00:43:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 22,135
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15718419
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ouzell/pseuds/ouzell
Summary: It's 1979, and Remus never went to Hogwarts. The Marauders never existed, James never married Lily, and now the Wizarding War has begun. Sirius Black, with no direction in life, is sent on a mission for the Order to uncover the whereabouts of the werewolves. However, as he meets an intriguing stranger and gets himself into hotter waters, he finds himself wishing he never looked in the first place.





	1. running

**Author's Note:**

> This AU is just the basis for many more fanfics to come as part of a collection! This may be a slow process of me updating, but please don't lose hope because I plan to finish this! I have a lot planned for the future.  
> This will get more explicit/graphic as it progresses, as well as a LOT more gay. :) I'm excited!

 

1979 

 Wizards and witches everywhere were terrified. A man, (if that’s what he was,) had risen from the darkness without a whisper, wreaking havoc in the wizarding world and obliterating anyone in his path. ‘He Who Must Not Be Named’ they called him. ‘You Know Who’; the invisible giant harnessing the world’s hatred for muggles and using it to his own advantage. No one could trust each other, and the intensity of the conflict was at a peak. 

 There was only one who could defy him, and that was Albus Dumbledore, the new headmaster of Hogwarts. This was who the brave and good supported. This was their only guiding flame in the world.

 Sirius Black was one of these brave magical folk, so dedicated to the cause he was willing to go on ‘dangerous errands’, as Dumbledore called them sometimes. Well, an ‘errand’ was going out for pumpkin juice.  _ This  _ was a dangerous mission to find the underground werewolf society- or at least persuade some unaffiliated wolves to join the cause. That, and find out what he could about their loyalties to Voldemort in the process. This was what he was doing speeding past blurs of trees on his motorcycle in the late hours of the night. While it was true that part of the appeal was offending his mother with muggle inventions, this was the main reason he had for keeping the thing around. Feeling the wind on your face and the freedom of the open road, that was what he craved. A broom just didn’t have the same effect, no matter how James may have praised it in comparison. 

 As he cruised through the countryside, the young Black recognized the sign for the little cottage he was supposed to be staying at. It was the guest home of a distant relative- Andromeda, or, something or other. All he knew about her was that she was blasted off the family tree for marrying a muggle-born. They hadn’t had much contact until this, but he was still thankful for family he could at least say he was on good terms with. Then again, James and the other members of the Order of the Phoenix had already replaced the idea of family anyway. (Running away from home at sixteen had been the best decision of his life.)

 Upon arriving at the cottage in question, Black pulled into the side of the house, then used a foot to balance as he eased off his helmet. Normally he wouldn’t even wear a helmet, but not only was this safer, it also helped keep his identity hidden a bit better. The Death Eaters were still out for he and James, after all. Careful to cloak the bike with an invisibility spell beforehand, he thought he’d head in for a pot of tea. As refreshing as it was, riding cross country got tiring before too long. He tousled his hair and slung his bag over his shoulder. His hand met the cold metal of the front door knob and turned. The place was quaint. It had the essentials; a kitchen down the hall, and a sitting room to the left. Sirius tossed his helmet onto the loveseat and took a moment to admire the fireplace. He laughed. Even after being ‘excommunicated’ from the Black family, this cousin of his had done well. He found a kind of pride and solidarity in that, even if he hadn’t met the person. 

 As tempting as it was to get some sleep right then and there, he knew it was a better idea to get that cup of tea and a shower. Time to himself was something he appreciated a lot more since moving in with James in ‘75. Neither of them had married or found their own places, leaving no reason to move out. He was close to his cousin, but being around someone as loud and obnoxious as himself could be a little overwhelming. That was one reason Dumbledore chose him for this- he knew cabin fever was getting the better of him. Sirius chuckled to himself as he tramped up the stairs. Thank Merlin the headmaster wasn’t into matchmaking, or they’d all be in for it. 

 Whether it was the fatigue in his muscles- or the faint smell of flowery soap he couldn’t help noticing as he plopped down- the bed upstairs felt like a cloud. The architects responsible for building the little house must have been especially cruel, because the one bathroom was only accessible through the bedroom. In the end, he figured it didn’t really matter because he would be staying there alone. All that mattered was that he could finally have all the hot water to himself. He whistled as he undressed and started the hot water going. Typically, being alone in an unfamiliar place in such a treacherous time would be worrying, but he found himself unbothered. Defending himself didn’t seem like too hard of a task, and the isolation would be good for him, he knew it would. Not half as good as a shower felt, though. If it weren’t for his grumbling stomach he’d have decided to get some shut eye as soon as the water stopped. Usually this was why he loved traveling; there were always so many things to do. 

   Upon leaving the steamy bathroom, Sirius felt comfortable in only a towel knowing James wasn’t there to yank it away. Once more it reminded him that he was allowed to relax now that he was alone. It was exactly what he needed in the middle of a wizarding war. His belt buckle jingled as he got dressed, wet hair still leaving dark marks on his clothing as he did so. Seeing as he was disguising himself as a Muggle, Sirius decided to ditch the whimsical hippie get up and instead opt for jeans and a matching jacket. (It was the late 70’s, after all.) He wasn’t particularly sure what to pair them with since he didn’t care, so he just chose a t-shirt and sneakers. They worked for most situations anyway.

   As he kickstarted his motorcycle, he realized it was Valentine’s Day soon. It only struck him then because Dumbledore had mentioned it the week before, and Dumbledore always seemed to have a way of working his wise words back into one's’ thoughts.

   Well, that kind of sucked. What could be more lonely than going out to eat alone on Valentines Day? He disregarded this and tugged his helmet back on. It was decided- he’d go to the pub. Maybe it wasn’t very British of him, but tea could wait. That’d further tie into his disguise, anyway. 

 

   On his way through town, a candy store caught his eye as he took note of the different shops and businesses. A few muggles stared as he rode by, one a particularly pretty girl he stopped next to at a red light. How could he  _ not _ wink at her? It was a perfect opportunity. However, this also reminded him that his motorcycle seemed to attract a little attention, even if he wasn’t the only one out this late by any means. While he knew this might have consequences in the future, he also knew there was nothing he could do about it now. Besides, if the damage was already done, he might as well reap the rewards and have a drink. 

   The pub was dark and a little dirty, but it had an old charm he could appreciate. He thought the only staff might’ve been the rough silent type that took his order, but later on that pretty girl from before hurried in for her shift, pinning on a name tag that made it sound like a title: Colleen. Black sat at the bar and drank his pint, but as he did so found himself listening in on a couple of local old timers, Rod and Jerry. Rod probably had a lot of money at one time but now squabbles with his brother over who’s buying dinner and ordered another vodka tonic. Jerry, now, was a very interesting fellow. He must’ve been sixty and still racing motorcycles. He owned a security company and had been married to his wife for over forty years. Sirius was smiling at this conversation he overheard when another one near the back sparked his interest more. 

   “What do you think you’re doing….how DARE you embarrass me like that…. “ Colleen and what he could only assume was her boyfriend were arguing over something, and getting more agitated by the minute. She was grabbed by the arm, then pulled into the back with the beginnings of a shout cut off by the door closing.

   Sirius looked around the room discreetly. From what he could see, no one was going to bat an eye. Unbelievable. Finishing off his pint, he left behind a hurried tip in muggle change and figured he’d go around from the front. He made his way around the back and kept quiet, but kept his wand ready as well. It was late and hard to make out many details. The only people in the alley were the couple and… someone he couldn’t quite make out- the conversation was moving pretty quickly.

   “This is none of your business, vagrant shit ‘ead!” In a short moment, ‘boyfriend’ over there had already aimed a swing at the intervening figure’s head. The stranger in question easily threw an even stronger punch in defense and knocked him back; the girl just watched as her boyfriend made another effort. Predictably, he was knocked to the ground with a second easy movement. In a shamed panic, the poor chump struggled to his feet and bolted off in the other direction.

   As he stealthily moved a little closer, Sirius realized that the one to save Colleen was her scruffy coworker that’d served him just moments before. She did exactly what he expected her to do; clung to her savior and tried to ‘repay him for his troubles’. The most surprising plot development, however, was that he pushed her away with what looked like suppressed disgust. “Don’t….” It was said abruptly, so that she didn’t have the time to get too close. “...take this as some kind of favor you need to repay, or anything.” When she looked like she was about to protest, he interrupted. “Please.” 

   Colleen sighed with exasperation, as if this had happened before. “What are you afraid of, Romulus? You can’t keep running forever.”

  He was silent for a moment before shaking his head and replying, “I come in and I do my job. Whether I’m running is none of your business.” This was obviously not the answer she wanted, as she scoffed before leaving him there to go back inside. The man tiredly ran his hands through his hair, then inspected his knuckles. With one final shake of his bruised hand, he, too turned and went inside.

 

   “Wow.” Sirius was shocked at the dramatic scene he’d just witnessed play out. Not only that, but Romulus was miraculous! His eyes kept on replaying memories of the punches he threw and his deep voice being so commanding. He wasn’t sure why, but he had to talk to this person- not only because he wanted to bring up what he had just seen, but because he was inexplicably  drawn to him. Quickly, he got to his feet and burst through the back door, disregarding the ‘employees only’ warning completely. The back hallway was empty, and with the growing feeling that he was too late, Sirius decided to ask Colleen where the man had gone instead of waste time. 

   “Ugh, he just got off work. ‘Don’t know what you could want from a loner like him, though-” 

   In too much of a hurry, he hadn’t stayed to hear the rest, just made his way out the front doors for the second time that night. Unfortunately, he could see a rusty volkswagen already making its way out of the parking lot. It wasn’t exactly like he could wave his wand out here in the open with all these muggles around, either. That kind of thing landed you in Azkaban.


	2. legends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sirius heads into town to attempt conversing with muggles, and the danger of the forest is only underlined.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I said once a week BUT I ALREADY HAVE 4 CHAPTERS WRITTEN AHEAD OF TIME so I thought I’d post this one!!

 The next day was predominantly uneventful. Once he’d lost the trail, Sirius ignored Colleen’s invitations back to her apartment, (she seemed like she was in a bad place,) and rode home. So, without a hangover to inhibit him, he woke up no later than ten. Practically over achieving, wasn’t it? The need for food was a dire one, so he’d paid a visit to the local grocery. He just couldn’t help the feeling that riding his motorcycle everywhere was terribly conspicuous, and wasn’t sure how much it helped his investigative efforts. With muggles, they only thought you were strange because you were crazy, not because they knew what you were. So when asking about the subject of his mission, he found the woman slicing ham at the meat counter seemed as if she were positively allergic to him.

   “Werewolves?” Slice, slice, slice. Still silence. She looked up to him again as if she were surprised he hadn’t left yet. Her hands resumed slicing. “Just some old wives’ tales about the forest.” That seemed to be about all he was getting. Closed lips and sliced lunch meat. 

   The cashier only laughed when  _ he _ was asked. “You must be joking.” 

 To Sirius’ right, he heard a gum bubble pop from the boy’s coworker. She didn’t scoff, but instead found him appealing and thought she’d take the question seriously. “There’ve always been rumors about werewolves in those woods-“

  “It’s all nonsense, though. ‘Brother tried to scare me with those stories when I was little.” 

   The girl only rolled her eyes at that and helped carry his bags to his bike. As he secured them, she continued without interruption. “I believe ‘em, but only because there haven’t been any livestock attacks.” She blew another gum bubble and looked like she felt important for being such an expert, “If it really was just wolves, we’d be finding dead sheep all over the place, wouldn’t we? Doesn’t make sense to just be kids.” Before he could ask for her to elaborate on that last statement, however, she continued. “So, are you staying in town?”

   He’d only smirked at her and kickstarted his motorcycle to leave. Sirius didn’t really fancy underage muggle girls. He did ponder the valuable information she’d provided, though. It sounded like he’d come to the right place after all. Fenrir Greyback, the man he’d read about, was notorious for targeting children. It provided more of an opportunity for brainwashing, which made sense. He could only feel sad for them- what a shame it was that had to be done to them by such a monster. To know he was one of the people working against that kind of act was a comfort. 

   Just before passing it, Sirius thought he’d stop into the pub and see if Romulus was there. He wasn’t the kind of person to give up so quickly. Unfortunately, he was told that the guy wouldn’t be in to work for another night or two. The person he asked gave him an odd look when he wanted to know why, so he thought it best not to pry. Damn. Well, that would just free up more time to work, wouldn’t it?

   Upon getting back, Sirius was forced to think about his mode of transportation. It was to the point where he had to assess whether he cared that muggles noticed him because of it or not. As he put his frozen dinners in the freezer, he decided that no, he didn’t care. It was careless he knew, but compared to everything else going on in the world, not much attention was being paid to werewolves much at all. In fact from the outside it appeared as if Voldemort didn’t care about them one way or another. So, he thought he’d be safe. Besides, with his wand he could defend himself from the majority of threats he came across.

   Sirius sipped a cup of tea. Another quiet night in. The dark trees looked ominous from his back window as he sat- it felt strange for it to be so quiet. Maybe this was what parents felt when they didn’t have their children around to bother them. That’s what James was like sometimes- his child. The feeling was mutual most of the time, and it explained Sirius’ limited cooking skills, even if he prided himself on his boiled eggs. Neither of them had had the chance to really grow up without each other. Not before the war, at least. 

   For a moment he thought he saw something move in the forest, but disregarded it. The full moon wasn’t until the next night, and deer weren’t unheard of. So, with a tired sigh he put his mug in the sink and headed upstairs for another uninterrupted night of sleep.

 

   Except, that wasn’t what he was met with at all. Oddly enough he’d fallen asleep in a snap, but seemed to start dreaming immediately afterward. Curiously enough, he was in his old bedroom at Grimmauld Place, and the only door out was closed. On the other side, he could hear what sounded like fighting; animalistic snarling and scuffling. In a dreamy haze, Sirius went forward to open it, but the knob refused to turn. Suddenly an overwhelming impulse to escape overtook him and, confused, he beat his fist against the dark wood.“LET ME THE BLOODY HELL OUT OF HERE!” The panic in his chest began to build and build as he listened to the shuffling on the other side- until he heard a familiar voice. It was rich and reassuring, just like the warm milk he’d been comforted by as a child. What was said wasn’t clear, but he could tell it was him- Romulus. The urge to get out of that room was doubled, even tripled as he threw his body against the door. 

   Black’s eyes snapped open. He’d thrown off the blankets, rolled onto his back, and soaked himself in sweat- all while he’d slept. It was late in the morning again, but this time it felt like he  _ did _ have a hangover. The sun shone in his his whiskery face. “Ugh….” Time to get up. 

   He looked into the mirror and assessed what he saw. Those haughty good looks weren’t ruined by his tired eyes, but he’d have liked a good night’s rest nonetheless. There was another day of investigation and progress to look forward to, especially if the full moon would be that night. A yawn wracked his body as he started the hot water going in the shower once more.

 

 That day in town, Sirius surprised himself and went to the library. While it was true he was more likely to pay a voluntary visit than James, that didn’t mean he made a habit of it. The two of them would rather spend their time playing a lazy game of quidditch or going for an adventure on the bike. Still, this seemed like the most likely place to get valuable information, even if he had already skimmed a tome or so on werewolves. His muddy boots made their way up to the counter, which earned him another disapproving glare. He was used to those already though, wasn’t he?

   “Hello there-”

   “Hello.” The librarian wasn’t very receptive, apparently. 

   “...Yeah, I was wondering where I could find anything on werewolves in the area?”

    She raised her eyebrows in response, “That would be the fiction section.”

    Right. Muggles. “Er, how about wolf attacks?”

   It felt like asking a second question were an imposition, as if he were asking a genie for a fourth wish. It was a myth that they only granted three, anyway. She pursed her lips and turned around to file through some cards. While he waited, Sirius looked around and tapped his thumbs on the desk. It was a nice enough place, although it didn’t compare to Hogwarts by far. When she turned around once again, he tried to look alert. She no doubt thought he was some pot-smoking hippie on a psychedelic werewolf hunt. There were worse things to be perceived as, he supposed. “Here.” It was the location of some newspapers.

   “Thanks.” He took the card and saluted her with it in between his fingers. She didn’t seem to like that.

 

   Well that would have been great, except for one thing: Sirius Black had no idea what microfilm was, how to navigate a muggle library, or why there were carts of books everywhere if they could just be put on the shelves so easily. The fact that they had to do everything manually didn’t completely register, but ignorance was bliss. 

   So, frustrated and a little defeated, the poor man headed back to the pub. Yes, he remembered that that man wouldn’t be there, but what was wrong with having a pint at three PM? Besides, his ‘friend’ Colleen hardly even stared when he walked through the front doors. As soon as he lay his leather jacket on the back of a bar stool and sat down, she made her way over to ask what he’d like. Of course, he ordered the same as before. When she lingered to start conversation, he took it as an opportunity. 

   “I like your bike, Mr….?

   He chuckled at her persistent shamelessness and disregarded the question. “Is that so- you want me to take you out for a ride some time?”

   She looked astonished at his sudden sign of interest, but visibly pleased. “I get off work at six.” But her expression changed to one of excitement, “Tonight we’re having a bonfire in the forest for Valentines Day, you should come!” Immediately, his instinct was to say yes to the various images of drinking, dancing, and other nonsense he usually got up to in those situations. However, a big muggle party on a full moon in the middle of a forest with a history of ‘wolf attacks’ did not sound like a very fun  _ or _ safe idea. “Thanks, but.. I’m busy.” How he could ever persuade them not to go through with such an unwittingly ridiculous plan, he didn’t know. 

  Her disappointment was predictable. “Aw, alright. You’ve still got an open invitation, though. ‘Starts at sundown.” Colleen gave him a warm smile. “You look like you could use a friend.” And she walked off to continue bussing tables and taking orders. 

   This last comment took him by surprise, but also made more of an impact than he’d thought it would. If he had James, it didn’t make much sense for him to feel like he needed a friend. Pushing these existential thoughts from his mind, Sirius took another swig of his beer. Another one of these and he’d head back. He needed to be home before dusk; then he’d head for the woods.

  
  


   “They’ve got to be  _ mad _ .” Flames danced across Sirius’ gray irises as he looked on. Music echoed from afar as a sizable group of what looked like teenagers had done just as they’d promised- built a great big bonfire in the middle of a clearing. The sun had set only a quarter hour before, and the majority of them were already drunk. Should he be stuck there protecting them all night, he’d have to stay for an entire moon cycle until he’d have this opportunity again. If only he were the type of person to let this kind of thing alone.

   Ironically, the moment he drew his wand was the moment a commotion disrupted the relaxed muggles on the other side of the fire. He held his breath as he tried to listen- that was definitely a scream of terror. “Damn!” It was said quietly, but he still clamped a hand over his mouth in case they heard. A couple more screams joined the chorus. It was time for him to act.

   Sirius ran along the perimeter of the forest clearing until he came across the first few confused bystanders. He tried to ignore the metallic smell of blood and kept his voice calm. “Head for town, don’t send anyone back out here.” Then, when they didn’t make haste, “Leave. Now!” Confused and afraid, they fled the circle of light. He hoped they’d make it alive.

   From about thirty feet away it was hard to tell, but there were definitely a pair of wolves there, gorging on mauled bodies. He managed to swallow the bile rising in his throat at the gruesome sight; it was imperative to act before their attentions moved to the others. With quiet steps the wizard backtracked around the clearing, trying to reach the young couple huddled in fear across the way. It was pointless motioning to tell them to be quiet or come closer, because the first was obvious and they’d make far too much noise doing the latter. Unfortunately, they thought they’d take matters into their own hands and hedge toward the trees. “For Merlin’s damn  _ sake _ -!”.

   There was a heavy growl as one of the beasts raised its great head and looked at its surroundings. This only worsened their fear, which caused the girl to run off screaming. That was it, the wolf bounded forward with frightening speed. Sirius immediately found himself bolting forward protectively. “CONFRINGO-!” Immediately, the ground around the thing was set ablaze as he ran. It yelped and backed off just long enough for him to grab the innocent boy by his arm and practically throw him in the other direction. There was a resounding howl behind him as the poor kid whimpered, stumbled, and started to run. At least he could save this one. He’d fend them off until the kids got far enough away, and then he could apparate to safety. Everything was under control. 

   But just as Sirius thought he was going to pull through, another werewolf leapt across his vision and ensnared the boy in its mouth. Horror gripped him as he watched the thing take a great bite and tear out the still-screaming throat of the muggle with a sickening gurgle. Hot blood flecked across his vision, those ivory teeth still crushing and rending flesh apart with a nauseating crunch. There wasn’t a single sound he could make to express his shock. In that split second, he had to make a conscious decision to keep it together. It was just some blood, that’s all it was. ‘This is not the time to lose focus, Black!’

   Having regained composure, Sirius whirled around just quickly enough to yell, “Expulso!” at the werewolf targeting him. An ear-popping explosion hit the monster and threw both of them back with momentum. He cursed himself for using that spell so close, but it was all he could think of in the moment. There was one good development because of this- he was further away from the slowly growing number of wolves in the clearing. With haste he scrambled to his feet and started moving his legs as quickly as he could in the direction of town. He had to make sure the others were okay, even if the safety of his cottage was in the other direction.

   Sirius didn’t look back as he made his way through the woods for fear of slowing down. Instead, he focused on following the echoing screams bouncing off of the trees. But as he ran, a much louder, bigger creature sounded as if it were running in his direction from the right. A great hulking thing from what he could hear, crashing through the underbrush. Very suddenly he froze, shaky hand still holding his wand at the ready. Even though his clammy grip was slick with blood and sweat, he was ready to blast anything that attacked him straight to hell.

   Just as it sounded as if it were right on top of him, a huge figure collapsed in the grass in front of him. It startled the poor wizard so badly he couldn’t help but let out an expletive, especially upon realizing that it was one of _ them _ . Now Sirius wasn’t one to use the word ‘them’ in such a judgmental tone, but after what he’d seen seconds before it was hard not to. Nevertheless, this one looked like it could use a hospital visit. It was lucky that he hadn’t mistakenly lit the thing on fire like the other- he was too wounded to even stay awake, after all. In fact, there was such an overwhelming amount of blood under that fur that he was sure it’d die if left alone.

   Just as the conflict in the pit of his stomach turned over for a third time, he heard the alarming sound of muggle men shouting into the night- and shooting guns. The decision was made for him before he’d even had a chance to think.

   “I can’t believe I’m doing this. I  _ CANNOT  _ believe I’m doing this.”


	3. remember

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now that they've been formally introduced, Romulus and Sirius have some rocky conversations about their memories.

   Two heavy bodies crashed into the ground with momentum behind the cottage. There was no humanly possible way to apparate with an unconscious passenger, and some creativity had had to be used in order to save whoever this was. Sirius’ motorbike was in terrible shape, but he didn’t seemed bothered, at least not at the moment. Not while he groaned with effort and attempted to drag a giant wolf in through the back door.

   Panic still ran electrified through his veins. It made his heartbeat go out of control, his hands shake, and he just knew he’d be stark white if he looked in the mirror. ‘Forget about all of that, you’ve got a wounded animal to take care of!’ He was having a hard enough time keeping himself together as it was, but focusing on one goal seemed to work so far. He’d pulled the creature into the kitchen because that was about as far as he could carry it. With haste, he slowly passed his wand over the poor thing’s body, murmuring the best healing spells he knew. Unfortunately, none of them seemed to be doing much. Not only was this alarming, but confusing as well. Only cursed wounds were unable to be healed with charms. That meant that these were inflicted by a fellow werewolf. This also meant he ought to move even  _ more _ quickly.

   That panic rose up in a wave that washed over him with a crash. “What am I supposed to do?!” He had next to no knowledge of anything medical that didn’t involve magic, and an awful lot of blood was pooling on his tile floor. It wasn’t even his! It was his cousin’s tile floor! “Shit shit shit, what the bloody hell do I do?” Okay, okay. All those times he was in Madam Pomfrey’s, and he couldn’t remember anything? Nonsense. There had to be something there, right? He wiped the sweat from his forehead, but his hand left behind a dark red smear. 

   He thought hard.

   “Uhhh, bandages and umm….” Sirius’ hands shook as he summoned his lazily packed bag of clothes. “I… I need to keep it clean, right…” Three bottles of hard liquor flew out of a kitchen cabinet. He took a big swig from the bottle of rum and coughed hoarsely. That liquid courage gave him a good boost. “Okay, just stay alive a little longer…” It was a lot to ask considering his lack of prior medical knowledge, but it’d just have to do. 

 

   Once again, the light of day was what woke Sirius in the morning. The cold wood of the kitchen table… wait. Kitchen table? He wiped the drool from his mouth and really opened his eyes. Yes, he was in the kitchen, and last night- a hammering migraine thundered through his temples, forcing his eyes shut and reminding him of how much alcohol he’d consumed the night before. “Great Merlin….” But as he gripped his head in pain, he noticed the trail of smeared blood leading from the back door and followed it to- his gray eyes widened. 

   There was a naked man on his kitchen floor.

   He clapped a hand to his forehead, felt the dried blood there, and hissed, “What the hell did I do last night?” That hand slid down his face to cover his mouth in shock. And yet, his curiosity got the better of him. One booted foot after another, he approached the sleeping, naked man. 

   Upon turning around to the guy’s front, he understood it was that same stubbled face and wild brown hair, only the usually furrowed brow was now relaxed in sleep. He looked properly angelic. Still, when he realized exactly who it was he couldn’t help but exclaim, “Romulus!” before cursing himself for his mistake.

   The werewolf stirred, scratching a large, roughly moon-shaped scar on his hip before slowly opening his eyes. Immediately, his intense gaze rested on Black and he started in fear. It was surprising how canine-like his movements were as he stood with a grimace and backed away. It was a little intimidating.

   “I’m not going to hurt you, I swear! Look- I’m the one who fixed you up.” As his memory slowly recovered, Sirius motioned to the surprisingly average job he’d done. “Er-  _ tried _ to fix you up.” He offered a half smile, but apparently it wasn’t the right time for humor. In that split second, Romulus had already grabbed him by the wrists and, with a growl, pinned him against the wall. If he weren’t so impressed- and honestly, a little bit swept away- Sirius would be afraid. He would be very afraid.

   “Give me your wand.”

   “My wha-“

   There was a louder growl from Romulus, “NOW.”

   “Oh, okay, I’ll just-“ He tugged on one of his wrists for it to be freed, but his captor did not oblige. “Listen, I can't really give you my wand if-“

  “Which pocket.”

  “The left- woAHOh okay-”

   A rough hand made his belt jingle as it rummaged through his pocket. Once he seemed sure that Sirius couldn’t use magic, he released him and stepped back. It was as if he’d never held a wand before, standing over there with it clenched in his fist like a drumstick. He was so unnatural, it was almost comedic. The wizard cleared his throat and straightened the bloody shirt he’d worn the day before. In that moment they both seemed to understand just exactly whose blood it was. And with a sideways glance, Romulus seemed to realize that he was a naked man in a stranger’s kitchen, just as that stranger had realized the same moments before. 

   “I’m um… Sirius.” He tried to avert his eyes as he held out a hand to shake. The other looked at the extended hand with little to no change in expression, thought it over, then took it with a firm grip. His body temperature was surprisingly warm.

   “How do you already know my name, Sirius?” He held his hand a little too long in that stiff handshake, watching him warily.

  “I saw you save Colleen the other night, but you haven’t been to work since.” He tried to keep up his consistent easygoing tone, but it wasn’t the easiest feat. “That was cool, by the way.” 

   “You’ve been watching me.”

   He scoffed. “No. I mean, yes. But I was watching the werewolves, not you. Well…” None of that sounded good.

  “I should kill you-“ but the werewolf faltered and winced in pain. Immediately Sirius took a step toward him to help, but was met with a snarl to let him know he ought to back off.

   “Did you just  _ growl _ at me? Again?” 

   For a moment the other’s green eyes only looked up with guarded reluctance and pain. He said it as a confession. “I have nowhere else to go.”

   “Then stay here.” Yes, Sirius had thought about the consequences of this reply, and no, he didn’t really care. It was what he wanted to do,  _ and _ it was the right thing to do.

   Suspicion was Romulus’ first reaction, but he also seemed to realize that he didn’t have much of a choice. That, and he looked like he was growing weaker by the moment. “Fine, just- no magic. None.” This seemed to be his only condition, and it made sense considering the long history between werewolves and wizards. 

   “That’s going to make taking care of you a little difficult.”

   “Don’t take care of me.” Although he looked unstable and a bit pale, he also looked like he wasn’t going to change his mind. 

   The wizard only laughed. “I’m not about to let you die in my cousin’s house, am I?” He sighed. “You can keep my wand, but I’m nursing you back to health whether you like it or not.”

   “You  _ should  _ have left me to-“ But the wounded man’s gaze very suddenly grew cloudy. Before Sirius knew it he was nearly crushed by Romulus’ weight as he tried to catch him. It hadn’t crossed his mind that a wolf probably weighed less than a man of 6’2”.

   “Dementor’s breath and unicorn’s blood, why did you have to be so  _ stubborn _ ?” Black groaned and started to lug him toward the stairs. The novelty of having a naked, wounded man in his kitchen was starting to wear off.

 

   Without a wand or anything magical to preoccupy him while he waited for his guest to wake up, he wasn’t left with much. The same ten songs had been recycled on all the radio stations, and after turning all the knobs on the ‘teavee,’ as he called it, not a single moving picture had interrupted that annoying static. So, Sirius thought he’d borrow a book off of his cousin’s shelf. Most of them were obscenely dusty, but in his experience they always were, so it made no difference. To his surprise he only found one on first aid, but none entailing magical cures and remedies. He gave a huff of frustration, but figured it was better than nothing. 

   It wasn’t a good idea to leave his patient alone, so he started toward the stairs. As he passed through the kitchen, he noticed the red mess all over the floor. Another problem that would be harder to solve without magic. How did muggles even manage? 

    There was a sound from upstairs. He left the bloody scene and hurried up the cottage’s creaky staircase. As soon as the doorway came into view, he spotted the tall figure trying to get out of bed. “No no no, you get back into bed at once!”

    “I’m not going to sleep in your bed-“

   “GET INTO THAT BED RIGHT NOW!”

   This shocked Romulus into silence, but his jaw worked in rebellion the whole time. He did as he was told, visibly relieved of having to keep his pain hidden. His voice was quiet but demanding, “Why are you helping me?” 

   Sirius pulled his chair up next to the bed and met his gaze. “Because you need help.” He set his book down on the floor next to him. “Just because you’re a werewolf doesn’t mean I’ll leave you to die.” Once again he shocked the other into silence. There were a few moments of sustained silence, but Black broke it with a personal question. “How were you, um… bitten?” It was harsh, but after saving his life he thought it wasn’t too much to ask.

   But it was. The little bit of trust he had built in Romulus’ eyes vanished in a flash, and he seemed to almost physically recoil at the question. Or maybe, the memory. Those rough hands clenched the tight t-shirt Sirius had found him. “I don’t want to talk about it. It’s none of your business, anyway.” There was a strong undercurrent of fear in that soothing voice, which he was surprised to hear. This was followed by another stretch of uninterrupted quiet. Apparently the werewolf was not in the mood for conversation.

   “Alright well, I guess I’ll let you get some rest.” He picked up the first aid book once again and started for the door. But before he did, he turned around to add one last thought. “I’ll be back to change your bandages.” He winked and rapped the hard cover with his knuckles. The other only looked a little disconcerted before he was out of sight once again. 

 

      In the black of night, the sound of quick breathing and hurried footsteps was muted by thick fog. A young boy no older than six was fleeing through the trees haphazardly, whimpering and crying as he went. All around, sinister laughter and snarls following  him, almost as if they were taunting him. The boy, bleeding heavily from his side, smeared snot and tears from his face and scrambled forward, determined to get somewhere, anywhere, anywhere but this place of endless trees. 

   A stray branch had other ideas. He ran into it hard and fast, and knocked himself to the ground with a cry. This only prompted him to sob harder. The growling laughter grew louder and louder, closer and closer. This was it. The monsters had found him and neither mother nor father were there to save him. Behind him, there was a heavy thud that sent tremors through his very soul. “Please… please, no…” Shaking, the child finally gathered enough courage to turn and face it. There was Romulus, blood seeping out from his bared teeth and oozing down his chin. 

   A gravelly chuckle tumbled up from his throat and rumbled so loudly in the poor boy’s ears that he had to clamp his hands over them. He spoke, but his mouth didn’t move with the words. Instead, he looked as if he were laughing. “You can thank your father for this.” It echoed in his ears more loudly by the second, just as that laughter did.

  “No! STOP!” He screamed so loudly for help his vocal chords burned from the strain. In moments, those jaws had opened wide, wider than young Remus could have ever imagined. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so apparently when i said id be updating every two weeks i meant every two days and thats what we're goin with till i lose motivation!! im having a really good time though and looking forward to how in depth i hope to get  
> please leave kudos/comments cause i love discussing these gays


	4. debt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Romulus awakens.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is switching to Romulus' POV! (point of view) I'm switching every 3 chapters. Happy reading!

   “Romulus! ROMULUS!!!” He was clawing at that scar on his side with terrifying determination and screaming uncontrollably, yelling words that were unintelligible amidst his crying. “WAKE UP!” The wolf was still stuck in that inky black night. It felt as if he were free falling into a pit of fear. “Romulus, it’s a dream!” Breathing hard, Romulus’ eyes finally snapped open. His arms were above him, and so was that long haired rich kid, holding them there. The guy froze, as if caught doing something he wasn’t supposed to, but didn’t let go. When he strained against the other’s hold and was surprised to find himself failing to break free, a smile looked like it was trying to force its way onto those lips. “You’re weak, and you have a fever.”

   This was true, but Romulus certainly didn’t like the idea of having to accept it. “Let me go.”

   Sirius nodded toward the self-inflicted wound. “You were tearing your own skin off.”

  His tone was dismissive. “You can let me go.”

   Sirius relinquished his grip with a smirk and sat back down. It looked like while the werewolf slept, he’d been sitting in that chair watching over him and reading all the while. “You’re bleeding.  _ This _ says I need to clean and redress your wounds.” He tapped the book, apparently intending to gloss over that fever dream freak out like it was nothing.

   This nosy little punk already knew far too much about him and only seemed keen on learning more. Why wasn’t he getting any of Romulus’ signals to shut the hell up and mind his own damn business? But, deep down he was already realizing that it wasn’t going to be that easy. He knew that whether they liked it or not, he owed this rock and roll poser his life. What a  _ chore. “ _ They’re going to scar either way.” 

   He’d already started loping toward the stairs.“When I return, you’d better have your shirt off.”

   The werewolf once again gave a disgruntled expression at this remark. Why Sirius was so determined to make fun of him like that he didn’t understand, but wasn’t about to dignify it with a response. He did, however, do as he was told and gingerly took off that shirt over his bandages. They fit in amongst the multiple white scars that raked down his body, along with a few others that looked like pinker versions of the one on his hip. The last fifteen years had been hard on him. He groaned in pain as he brought his arms back down and set Sirius’ bloody shirt aside- it was too tight in the first place, although it smelled really good. Probably just his fabric softener or something… Wow, he’d really torn up his side, hadn’t he? At least he felt a little less foolish since he couldn’t help it. 

   Romulus stabilized himself with a hand against the wall as he made his way into the bathroom and to the edge of the tub. After sitting down he closed his eyes to rest and focus. Everything ached. His body temperature felt like it was fluctuating between ice cold and white hot. It didn’t feel any worse than past full moons though. The only thing you could really  _ do _ was suffer through it.

   He smelled Sirius coming before he heard him. Black made himself comfortable next to his patient and started soaking gauze in alcohol. With cool, soft hands he started to remove the old bandages. Romulus had hoped this would prompt the wizard to keep his mouth shut, but he shouldn’t have been so optimistic. “So… you’ve got nowhere else to go.”

   “Yeah.” His expression remained stony, but he gave the other a sidelong glance to see where this was going. 

   “Y’know… I’ve been in the same situation before. As a member of the ‘House of Black’ I’m expected to support my mother’s biased beliefs. If I went back home, I don’t know if she’d ever let me leave.”

    He’d let the pureblood speak, but what he heard was so ignorant he almost scoffed in disbelief. “Boy… you call that a problem? Some of us  _ have _ no home.” How could he take so much for granted? But before he heard an answer, he inhaled sharply in pain at a searing in his side. He’d suppressed a growl that time, but his tired gaze snapped to Sirius, who winced in apology. He’d pressed an alcohol swab to the man’s fresh wound without warning him by mistake. Romulus just tried not to shrink away from the other’s touch any further as he tended to the gashes on his body.

   “You don’t have to be so hostile toward me, you know. I’m just trying to help.” Immediately, the werewolf felt guilty for behaving so ungratefully. It was hard not to have a short fuse around the full moon.

  “...I apologize.”

   Sirius stopped and looked up, then continued with a smile. “‘S’alright. You’ll just have to find a way to repay me, is all.” 

   He frowned in reply, “Stick to your nursing job, slick.”

   “That mean you’re up for a cup of tea?”

   He hesitated, but it sounded nice. “Alright.”

 

   “I can’t remember the last time someone made me tea.” 

   Sirius sipped his across the kitchen. “That’s depressing.”

   That made Romulus laugh, which looked like it surprised both of them. “Yeah, it is.” He sighed and closed his eyes to enjoy the feeling of steam on his face. After a moment, he opened them again and found that the other was staring. He raised an eyebrow. This man was so  _ peculiar _ . “Why are you doing that?”

   “Doing what?”

   “Making fun of me. It’s insulting.”

   “What in Merlin’s name are you talking about?”

   “Do you honestly believe that I’ll fall for your little act?”

   This made the wizard chuckle. “I’m not acting.”

   “You’ll change your tune once you hear these small-town people start calling you fairy and queer.” And a crazy idiot. Werewolves were known for being bad news.

   Sirius set his cup down and crossed his arms. “Romulus, if there’s one thing you should know about me, it’s that I do whatever the bloody hell I want.” 

   Romulus wasn’t exactly sure how he felt about that statement, or if he entirely believed any of it. That, and it still didn’t clarify what the hell he was doing mooning over him like that. If it were true, that was a reckless way to live. “I’m surprised you’re not dead yet.”

   He only shrugged. “I could say the same to you.”

   “Hm.” It just drew his eyes to the dried pool of blood on the floor. Thoughtful, he drank more of his tea. He still wasn’t quite sure that this wasn’t some kind of hoax.

   But of course, any lapse in conversation would only be taken as an opportunity in Sirius’ eyes. “What happened last night?”

   He scoffed. “You were there, weren’t you?”

   “I'm not an idiot.” Frustration colored his tone, which Romulus hadn’t expected. This definitely made him pay more attention though. “Why did they do this to you?”

   It was something he didn’t want to talk about because not only were werewolf politics hard to explain, but infinitely confidential. He tried to keep it simple. “I didn’t follow orders.” 

   Those gray eyes lit up. “You didn’t want to hurt those kids.”

   “Yeah, well, fat lot of good that did. They’re still dead, aren’t they?” He was only assuming, but he also had no doubt that he was assuming correctly. He’d done everything he could to warn Colleen against those woods, but these days danger was like some kind of sick incentive.

  The light in Sirius’ eyes had gone, and he was quiet as he stared into his cup of tea. “Yeah, they are.”

   Romulus knew they’d both seen unspeakable things out there. Not all of that blood had been his, he could smell it. Even if he didn’t spend a lot of time around other people, he knew one thing that always comforted him. “You don’t have any chocolate, do you?” He could already smell it’s rich aroma, but it was rude to snoop. Then again, that could’ve just been Sirius.

   This earned him a curious expression. Nevertheless, the wizard turned around and opened… no way. It looked like a few other things were in there too. “I keep it in  _ this _ cupboard ‘cause it’s all weird so I won’t forget.” The other took out a couple chocolate bars and shut it, nonchalant as he sat down across Romulus. 

    He could only sit across from him in disbelief before burst into laughter.

   This seemed to puzzle and frustrate poor Sirius. “What?”

   “That’s the  _ microwave _ . You heat food up in it.”

   “Hey, I don’t know about these muggle things! This is my cousin’s cottage, after all.” 

   It just made him realize that the rich kid had probably never lived anywhere without a magical presence to support him. Damn, that bad boy persona really fell a little flat once you realized how sheltered he was. “You have a lot to learn, is all. Now hand that over.” He reached out for the bar and unwrapped it. “Here. It’ll make you feel better.” This wasn’t necessarily true, but he found that people believed things into reality half the time anyway. He offered the now opened candy, but not before taking a bite of course. 

   “Thanks.” The other looked pleasantly surprised by this act of kindness. Chewing preoccupied him, but only for a moment. “Y’know, part of the reason I came out here in the first place was to be alone.”

   “I’m sorry, but I’m not exactly in the position to go anywhere at the-“

   “No, no, that’s not what I meant. I was going to say that it was getting kind of lonely.” Sirius almost looked sheepish, “And boring.” He looked out at the trees. “Although that’s changed now, hasn’t it?” 

  “You’re right. Now that they know your face, life won’t be boring for long.” Romulus sighed. “That target on your back is only getting bigger the longer you stay here.”

   “I thought we went over this.”

   “And we’ll go over it again, until you come to your senses.

  “Stop treating me like a  _ child. _ ” Black looked on in defiance, willing the werewolf to keep arguing with him. Not because he wanted to win, but because he wanted to prove how long he was willing to advocate for his point, Romulus could see that. So, he’d let it go for the moment. Besides, he made a good point. Why would he care if Sirius wanted to put himself at risk? That was his prerogative, and he was an adult.  _ And _ , if he was wanting to think selfishly, the sooner the guy got himself into trouble the sooner he’d be able to return the life-saving favor and be done with it. That was a terrible way to think of it, though. He’d try his best to explain.

   “Sirius, I owe you my life.”

   “I was just being a decent person, don’t worry about it.”

   “No, Sirius.  _ I owe you my life. _ ” It was solemn, so that he’d understand the implications of this. “I’m honor bound to protect you.” 

    “Huh.” Romulus’ eyebrows twitched in perplexity at that answer. That was all? ‘Huh?’ Then Sirius chuckled. “So you’re saying you're stuck with me.” 

    He flashed a glare- this was something serious, not some kind of comedic accident that would serve as a romantic opening or sitcom plot development. It seemed like he just didn’t comprehend the weight of the situation. Not only did he owe his own life, but he knew just how hard it would be to protect the other’s, especially in this environment. He also wasn’t making it any easier by gallivanting through the forest on the full moon and brandishing a wand around a pack of werewolves. That was  _ one _ way to get yourself killed. It was fully dawning on him just how much work he was going to have to put in to keeping them out of trouble. Romulus was about to reply, but stopped quite suddenly. It sounded an awful lot like someone calling out from upstairs, and he didn’t really believe in ghosts. “Wait- do you hear that?”

   Sirius’ fog colored eyes grew alert before he stood up. Yes, apparently he had heard that. “Is that what I think it is-?” A look of recognition washed over his face and he rushed over to the stairs before bounding up.

   Romulus could only follow after more slowly.

   “What are you on about this time?” He could hear the sly grin in the other’s voice, but had no idea who he could be talking to. As the bedroom came into view, so did a mirror in the wizard’s hands. He was speaking to his reflection. No- he was speaking to someone else’s reflection. “Oh come now, it can’t be  _ that _ dull.” The wolf only blinked in wonder as he approached, bringing the mirror into closer view. A head of messy black hair was all he could make out in the glass.

   “Having too much fun in the country, are you? I thought you said you liked the city!” That was exactly the kind of thing he’d say, too.

   “It isn’t fun,Sir Tristan, it’s work.” ‘Sir Tristan,’ looked and sounded like a university student with too much money- and glasses. So  _ this _ was the company he kept. Sirius glanced to Romulus sheepishly as if he didn’t want to discuss something in front of him, but returned his attention to the mirror once again. “Now tell me what you want, you old cad.” 

   This earned a laugh from the man on the other end. ”Other than just because I wanted to see your pretty face?” Maybe they were both flirts. Sirius only scoffed at that statement, but let him finish. “I’ve been abandoned for some ghastly cottage in the middle of nowhere.”

   “And?”

   “I’m coming to have a visit, of course!”


	5. seeing stars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Romulus learns more about Sirius

   “A visit?” A hint of panic snuck into Sirius’ voice as he spoke. It seemed like having this person around wasn’t something he looked forward to. “Your work is done with the dragons?” 

   “Yes, yes, that’s all been taken care of. Besides, I don’t know how much longer old ‘Lamorak can last- he’s terrified of the things!”

   “Is he coming as well?”

   “No, he’s off to visit his mother again. What  _ are _ you so worried about? Is everything all right, ‘Lancelot?” Sincere worry softened his tone, as well as concern. 

   Romulus watched Sirius glance to him uncomfortably before speaking to the mirror again. ‘Lancelot’? That couldn’t have been Sirius’ real name…? “Yes, I’ve just misplaced my wand. The place is a mess.” The werewolf almost chuckled at that unbelievable excuse. 

   Nevertheless, the caller seemed unperturbed. “You haven’t done that since Hogwarts! I’ll just tidy up for you when I get there.”

   “Jame-“

   “You needn’t worry about messes, ‘Lance. We lived together not too long ago, remember?” This was someone he was close to, then. “Listen, I’ll be over tomorrow evening.” 

    Sirius appeared to have given up on maintaining the idea of keeping any more visitors from arriving. “Alright.” The scruffy wizard scratched his cheek. “Just don’t fly through town.”

   “Gotcha” The surface of the glass shimmered, went dark, then solidified back into a regular mirror once again. He gave a huff. It was set back down on the pile of clothes it’d been buried in before.

   “Is there a reason you didn’t mention that I’d be here?” Romulus raised an eyebrow, but only because he wanted to tease, not because he considered this his business. It was a good idea to keep out of this guy’s personal issues. “It sounds like I'll have to meet ‘Tristan’’ eventually.”

   Those smokey shaded eyes flicked up at the mention of that name. “I figure it’s something best left face to face, don’t you think?” That sounded an awful lot like nonsense.

  “Should I be calling you Lancelot, or is that top secret information too?” He had to admit, he liked to see the rich kid squirm. Why would he use a fake name in the first place? Then again, it wasn’t like he could criticize him for it.

   “Er, no. Those are our nicknames from our Hogwarts days.” Hogwarts. Something he’d heard stories about, something he’d once had the hope of seeing for himself. It was also a place Fenrir mentioned wanting burnt to the ground. The memory sent chills down his spine, and the wand he’d confiscated felt like it smoldered in his pocket. Romulus was silent as Sirius chuckled and continued, “Sir Tristan is James, I’m Sir Lancelot, and Peter’s Lamorak, of course.” 

   “That’s all well and good, but it still doesn’t explain just exactly what you expect me to do when he gets here.” Romulus seldom talked to the people he knew, let alone met new ones. From what he’d seen of him, James didn’t sound like the kind of person he enjoyed talking to, anyway. If he had the option he’d have gone back to his place or even the Den, but there was no way they wouldn’t take one second to recognize that dusty brown color and pounce. 

   “You don’t want to tell him you’re a werewolf.”

   “No, of course not.” Sirius only knew by accident, after all. He hadn’t planned on becoming friends with  _ either  _ of them, and still didn’t. He’d stay with him until he was well enough to go back to his flat, that’s all. 

   “Well I can’t exactly lie to ‘Tristan.”

   “I hate to be so obstinate Sirius, but you’re going to have to. I don’t tell anyone about my lycanthropy. You’re one of very few non-wolves that know, and I intend to keep it that way.” It seemed that in serious conversations, it worked best to speak clearly and directly with the wizard. He didn’t take well to being told what to do.

   “Then you’re a muggle, wounded at the bonfire.” That smug grin was back. “It’s as easy as that.” He winked at him, the hippy dolt. How fluidly he fell back into character, into life being one great adventure. “Now enough of this , what do you want from the grocer’s?”

  ”What?” Part of him admired the guy’s ability to bounce back and look at things so positively. Perhaps he should’ve been adopting the same attitude, but it didn’t seem altogether too realistic with his current predicament. For at least the next week he had no choice but to keep being a leech to this eccentric young man. (Although they couldn’t have been more than a year apart.) 

    “I’m nipping into town once I’m finished working on the bike.” He jerked his thumb in the direction of the back garden. “‘Can’t go anywhere with it like that.” 

   That smile was offered once again, but he only responded by watching him head to the door with curiosity. He had one last thought, though. “You won’t need your wand for that?”

   This stopped Sirius, who turned and gave an almost embarrassed chuckle. Embarrassed-  _ him _ ? “I’ve always just used my hands and some elbow grease. Well, save for the flying part.” It sounded like something he didn’t tell very many people. “I may have a  _ slight  _ addiction to motorcycles.” That was something Romulus could smile about- a wizard with a hobby working on motorcycles. He had no doubt those pure-blood beginnings he’d been talking about hadn’t encouraged  _ that _ one. How anyone could have managed that under the strict watch of the Ministry  _ and _ his mother beat him. In all honesty, it was kind of groovy. “I’ll be done with her in time for tea.”

  He tried not to sound too enthusiastic. “Color me impressed.” Sometimes he was just too kind to be as stoic as he’d have liked- it kept people at a safe distance. 

   “Well, thank you.” This time there was no smirk or playful grin, it was an honest to goodness smile of warmth. He had a nice smile regardless, but this was one of pride in himself and his work. For a few moments Romulus had been admiring it, but caught himself staring for too long and broke their gaze. Sirius looked as if he was the one who’d been overstepping instead. “I’ll get to it, then.” And out the door he went.

  
  


   When left to his own devices, Romulus was not one to get impatient. As a ‘lone wolf,’ you tended to cultivate a certain self-dependence for things like companionship and entertainment. In his experience, it was good to stay productive. It was just hard to do so when wizards never kept cleaning supplies in the house… (The fact that he was in no condition to do housework seemed to completely slip his mind.) Waiting for Sirius to finish working was taking forever, and he was beginning to wonder if it would be faster for him to walk. So, using the wall for support like an old man once more, he started for the back door.

   The muscle beneath each bandage seemed to spasm at every movement. Usually he didn’t even bother with dressing those and left them bare; the cool air felt good on fresh werewolf wounds, and for years now he hadn’t given much thought to what would happen should they get infected. There was no end to the number of victims that died from a werewolf attack alone, but there was a big mass of apathy in his chest there that he didn’t want to touch. A long time ago that black hole buried itself there, and a long time ago he’d given up on unearthing it. His focus shifted from the pain with a creak of the screen door. Another thing he wasn’t used to- especially when it was a screen door connected to such a tidy looking little home. There was a part of him wagging a finger at what a mess they’d made of it already.

   There was a loud metal clunk, followed by a second, more muffled thud. “FUckin heLL-!” Within a few more painful strides, Romulus was already observing from a few feet away. Apparently the damage was worse than he remembered, (not that that was much.) The motorbike was not only dented in two different spots, but covered in a rough layer of dried blood. Next to it knelt Sirius, nursing his finger and muttering angrily under his breath. Together, they looked like part of a funny little riddle waiting to be solved. He couldn’t help but snort at the sorry situation. This startled the biker, who turned around quickly- one hand was at his pocket, but the wand it was reaching for wasn’t there.   
   “Those are some cat-like reflexes.”

   Black smirked, “I  _ was _ the top of my class, after all.”

  A chuckle. “That’s to be seen.” He couldn’t help but wonder if this were true. On one hand, it sounded all too believable, but on the other, he wasn’t exactly a top-of-the-class type. “You look like you’re having a bad time of it.”

   “Yeah, I lost a few parts on our ‘wild ride’, and my cousin ‘Tonks doesn’t exactly have the widest selection of tools.” He had oil smudges on his nose, neck and arms, but didn’t seem to care one bit. “If you have that list, I’m still poppin’ into town after I take my bath.”

   Yes, he’d written that list. Truthfully, he’d never done so before, but only because he’d always been the only one buying groceries. Besides, you didn’t need a list when your budget was as tight as his and bartending only got you so far. “Here.” He rummaged in his pocket and produced not only a piece of paper, but a wand as well. “You might need to protect yourself.”

   “I’m not so sure  _ I’m  _ the one that needs protecting.” But he took the items anyway, expertly twirling the wand in his fingers as he did so.

    “You will be if you keep waving that thing around like you are.” It was impressive, but made Romulus a little nervous anyway. Even the possibility of magic tended to do so. 

   He almost flinched as Sirius tossed the thing up in the air and caught it again with a smile. It faltered when he noticed the visible distress it caused, even if minute. “Sorry. Old habits die hard.” He ran a hand through that wavy black hair and pocketed his wand.

   “Sirius?”

   “Yeah Rom? ” 

   He sighed. “Try to keep away from the Hound’s Tooth, and don’t go around asking about werewolves again.”

   “Is that the name of where you work? By the way, I’m gobsmacked you haven’t taken Colleen up on any of her offers.”

   He wrinkled his nose. “Never.”

   This earned him a raised eyebrow. “What’s wrong with the bird?”

   Romulus glanced over, “She smells of vanilla and fag smoke.” then snorted, “Not the best combination.”

   “The nose of a wolf must be a gift and a curse, eh.”

   It was funny that he was trying to point the conversation in that direction, but it wasn’t going to happen. “Sirius.”

   He seemed pleased to hear his name being said so many times. “Yes?”

   “Don’t call me Rom ever again.”

   “Oh.”

 

   After he’d heard the shower start running, Romulus had been left alone once more. A few minutes later, he quietly started his methodical way upstairs. As a rule, he tried to steer clear of snooping or getting into other people’s private lives, but this was a different situation. What kind of idiot would he be if he didn’t learn more about the person he’d be stuck with for a prolonged length of time? A dead one, probably. That was his reasoning for rifling through the already messy pile of stuff Sirius had left next to the bed. Besides, if you left your personal junk out in the open like this you kind of asked for it. A book, a pair of pants, a vest, another vest, a t-shirt- wait. He stopped at the t-shirt. What was that delicious smell? It was familiar, the one that reminded him of chocolate, of all things. He lifted the shirt to his nose and sniffed of it, (which would have felt creepy if he weren’t a werewolf.) As soon as that heady scent filled his nostrils, he found himself closing his eyes. When he opened them he was almost light headed.

    Suddenly, he heard the water shut off in the bathroom behind him. Romulus froze, and realized what he was doing. He dropped that shirt faster than you could say ‘caught red handed’ and raced down the stairs as quietly as he was humanly able. The gashes in his side burned as he continued down the hallway, but he kept going until he’d returned safely to the kitchen. 

   Heart racing and head spinning, he barely had time to catch his breath before a shirtless Sirius came trotting down the stairs. “Well, I’m off!” 

   It was overwhelming, how strong that delirious scent hit him in a wave. Why the hell wasn’t he wearing a shirt, and why the hell was this starting to make him feel dizzy? “Rom, you don’t look well.” The wizard approached him worriedly and put a hand to his shoulder. 

   With a pull away, he tried to gather his thoughts into a proper sentence. “Don’t call me…” But black stars had already started blurring his vision, and his feet were faltering below him. It felt as if he were being thrown into that familiar scent, clutching at warm, honeyed air.

   Something stopped him. “Woah there, mate! Just about crushed me. Why don’t we get you into bed? I shouldn’t have let you up in the first place.” As his vision cleared, he realized he was leaning heavily on Sirius. With a start he tried to steady himself, but failed almost immediately. Those arms caught him once again with a laugh. “You’re like a unicorn foal, wobbling about! Here,” He slung one of Romulus’ arms over his shoulder and started toward the stairs. 

   As they ascended, all he could do was put one foot in front of the other. This round of werewolf marks was not messing around. It was a lot easier with someone helping him, though. Usually at home he just tried to make sure he collapsed on a bed or a couch and waking up on the floor was not uncommon. And yet, he found himself taking deep breaths of that mesmerizing aroma. He turned his head, taking a another deep breath through his nose and mouth while he had the excuse to be so close to Sirius’ neck, his skin. The urge to bite it was creeping up his throat and onto his tongue before he was shaken out of his strange trance.

   The other eased him onto the bed.

   He winced, but was glad for the distance between them.

   “Are you sure I should leave you alone? You’ve fainted twice now.”

   “I’ve only fainted once.” He knew at this point it was imperative the other leave, if only to give him some time to think. This situation had only gotten trickier.

   “Oh, well that makes a world of difference, doesn’t it?” 

   Why was he always defiant at the most inconvenient of times? “Go, I’d rather die than eat one of those microwave dinners.”

   He just gave a haughty look and mumbled, “They’re a lot better when you don’t use the microwave…” but turned and left nevertheless, taking that chocolatey scent with him. Romulus waited until he heard the motorcycle leave, then let out a breath he had no idea he’d been holding. It lingered, making his mouth water.

   After showering off the oil, the blood, and everything else, Sirius  _ had _ to be what smelled so good. He was the only common factor, after all. It was like that girl that smelled of peonies and chamomile tea on his thirteenth birthday, or the woman that smelled like whipped cream on blueberry pie in London- only this was multiplied a thousand times. He smelled not just of rich chocolate, but of bloody steak, warm gooey honey and bacon sizzling on the stove- of the stew he recalled from some of his only childhood memories. The realization was potentially something to panic about, but he reminded himself to stay calm.The only difference with this time was that he wasn’t going to lose control. The full moon had just gone, he was wounded, he had a lot more self-control now, and most importantly- he chuckled mid thought- Sirius was a man. In his experience, women were the only intoxicating thing out there. This would be infinitely easier.

   Right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter took forever but only cause I got a MINOR writer's block. Next will be published sooner ^^


	6. healing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Blatantly afraid of emotional intimacy, Romulus fends off not only Sirius’ efforts at friendship, but a newcomer’s as well.

 

   As morning sunlight shone in through the window, a bandaged body gingerly sat up in bed. He yawned, for he hadn’t slept very well at all the night before.

   Sirius had returned the previous night, but when he’d come upstairs to give the werewolf his things, found him asleep. Or at least, thought he had. Romulus hadn’t slept a wink thinking about everything and what he would do about it. The last thing he wanted was to hurt Sirius- but then he’d gotten started on the fact that he shouldn’t have even cared whether he hurt him, and then onto criticizing himself for staying there in the first place. In the end, he figured it better to keep a distance between them for now. When someone’s scent was so enrapturing to him, it didn’t end well, and he intended on leaving this place just as depressed as he’d entered it- no more. 

   Nevertheless, when he saw the empty chair next to the bed a heartstring pulled in worry. This he ignored as he rose with a groan of pain. It’d only gotten worse since that stunt he’d pulled the night before. It was embarrassing, letting someone else witness this helpless state. Actually, he was about to start down the stairs when he heard footsteps outside the door. It was too late to pretend to be asleep, and that made him feel foolish anyway. There was a knock, surprisingly. “Er, come in?”

   That mop of black hair popped in with interest. “Are you decent?” He asked as he entered the room anyways, and that familiar musky, chocolatey scent filled the room again. Or at least, seemed like it did. Goosebumps involuntarily ran up Romulus’ arms and neck, which he tried his best to ignore. He didn’t want to acknowledge that, or how strange it felt. In fact, he didn’t like it one bit. “I thought you might want help.” That handsome face gave a friendly smile.

   “Think again.” If the other got that close there wouldn’t be a fainting spell, but the outcome still worried him. The unpredictability was starting to put him on edge.

   Even though he was told not to, Sirius approached. “‘Just did. I still think you might want help.” It was hard not to glare at that smug grin. “Now hurry up, I got you some clothes.”

   What was this  _ boy _ doing telling him what to do? Didn’t he know he was playing with fire?

   “Well don’t just stare, get up! Just because you’re an invalid doesn’t mean you can be lazy.”

   Still, the wounded man didn’t budge. If he had to play the part, he was going to. Doing otherwise wasn’t worth the risk. The risk of hurting someone, of hurting himself, and most of all, of being vulnerable, was too great. He’d never admit it of course, but this was one of his greatest, deepest fears. He knew his own weaknesses very well, and didn’t intend on revealing them to anyone. The only person he knew he could trust was himself, and even that was beginning to waver with this new development: Sirius. And it seemed like with every glint of those charming gray eyes he was inching closer and closer to the precipice of fucking up Romulus’ entire life. It was terrifying, especially after registering the instinctual attraction he felt to the man’s scent. This was what barred him from being too friendly all of a sudden, from trusting the other enough even for that. This was also why he refused to follow orders. It was almost as if he were training himself to resist.

   With an unamused expression, the wizard crossed his arms and chewed his cheek- but that sly swagger of his was never gone for long. “Very well. I suppose I’ll just have to give up.” That smug tone he was using said otherwise. “I’ll bugger off, then…” That cloud of delirium started to lift from Romulus’ mind as the distance between them grew and Sirius made his way to the door. “Sleep well, Rom…” It shut quietly.

   Not a single thing about that act was convincing, but he could’ve sworn he heard footsteps going back down the stairs. That frown still remained as the wolf swung his legs over the side of the bed and inspected his bandages. Now that the full moon had completely passed, they were healing more quickly. The tired shadow the moon cast over his features had gone, taking with it his usual heightened level of anxiety. Not that it made much of a difference- these days he found it was consistently at a peak. He rubbed his scruffy face and mumbled, “I need a shave.” to himself. What he also was in need of was a shower, but without anything to change into had been avoiding it. A deep breath crackled in his lungs. It only reminded him of just how broken and ruined his body was already. The door swung open, causing him to jump.

   “I took the liberty of bringing downstairs to you.” In Sirius’ arms were a clumsy pile of clothes. “Obviously, these are a gift from me.” Without hesitation, he made his way over and dumped it on the end of the bed. 

   Romulus recoiled as he felt his appetite shoot for the sky.

   This drew some attention. “Don’t do that. It makes me feel like I’ve cornered an animal.” The man seemed to realize what he’d said afterward, but let it stand.

   “You have. You’ve cornered a  _ dangerous _ animal.”

   “Romulus, you can barely stand. I think I’m perfectly safe.”

    With scarred arms, he managed to push himself up, then stood. It took effort, but he managed not to stagger as he held out a hand. “Thank you, but I’d like to be left alone.”

   This only earned him an unimpressed snort. “Get undressed. You’ll need help with your bath.”

  
  


   “You smell like wet dog.” Sirius was gently passing a sponge over Romulus’ back, careful not to scrub his wounds. His hands were surprisingly soft, but this was one of many details the werewolf was trying to ignore. How he’d been forced into this situation in the first place, he still wasn’t quite sure. It seemed they were both just as stubborn as the other, and in the end he hadn’t had a choice. It had soon become clear that the guy wouldn’t agree to leave until he’d made sure his patient was taken care of. He’d run the bath and given him privacy first, of course. (Thank god bubble bath existed.) He stayed silent in response to the wet dog comment. Those hands still kept at their work, making Romulus resist the urge to flinch at his touch. Letting anyone get close to him was unheard of, so this was crossing a lot of boundaries. It also made him feel foolish that he was a little too big for the tub. The sound of water sloshing filled the silence between them as he sat, wet hair hanging down from his face. The water helped block his sensitive nose from distractions. “Are all of these scars from full moons?” Sirius always spoke so frankly about the topic that it was a little jarring.

   “No.”

   “Fights?”

   “Yes.”

   “Any you started?”

   Slowly, his eyes met the others’, gave him a long stern look, then flit away again. “Plenty.” It was said in order to intimidate, but it was more complicated than that. Like he’d thought before, werewolf politics were too complicated to explain. If he hadn’t started most of those fights, he’d probably be either dead or paralyzed already. “I had to to survive.”

   That sponge continued on in warm soft circles on his shoulder and down his arm. “You don’t have to explain.”

   Again he looked up, but this time in surprise. He’d expected many reactions, just not that one. When he caught the man’s eye he looked away again. For a moment, his frustration balled up in his throat at how relaxed Sirius was about all of this. “Why not? For all you know I’ve killed people.” His brow furrowed as he gazed into the bubbles.

   “Well you’re right, that’s pretty bad.” Sirius reached a hand toward the welshman’s face in order to wash his neck and ears, but he recoiled once again. Still, he raised his hand a second time and got his way, even if it earned him a wary look from the wolf. “But I don’t see how I’m in any place to pass judgement over you.”

   “You’re a wizard.”

   “You’re a wizard too.” 

   Romulus didn’t meet his eyes, but could feel their gray stare on him as they waited for a response. There wasn’t one he was willing or able to give right away. “I’m not anymore.”

   Sirius’ head jerked up in attention, then shook stubbornly. “See, that logic just doesn’t make any sense.” This wasn’t the expected response at all. “If you were a wizard before you were bitten, then you continue to be afterward. The same goes for being human, doesn’t it?”

   This was priceless. Once again, he couldn’t stifle laughter. This time it was his turn to shake his head. “It’s funny, because that’s the same problem the Ministry has. The only difference is they’ve already made their minds up that we are decidedly not human- they just can’t decide on whether we’re ‘Beast’ or ‘Being.’” It was said with malice, as if he were speaking to a Ministry official right then and there.

   “You’ve made it clear that you don’t think I know what I’m talking about,” The other was still knelt by the bathtub, although now he was ringing out the sponge as he spoke. With a humorous expression, the man stopped and looked over to him. “But that sounds like a load of bollocks, even if that kind of incompetence sounds like the Ministry of Magic.”

   This earned a frown from Romulus. “You don’t think I’m telling the truth?”

   “Possibly. Maybe you’re just miseducated.” He looked as if he were enjoying egging him on. “Change my mind.”

   Sirius probably thought he was some kind of backwoods idiot. A half-breed, with no proper schooling. He may have accepted that on any other topic, but not this one. Yes, in his teenage years he’d done some pretty extensive research on these things. After all he’d been told by Fenrir and the others, he’d needed to know for himself if wizardkind really was as oppressive and condescending as he was led to believe. The tragic discovery he’d made was that it truly was as rotten to the core as he’d thought. That was one reason why he didn’t blame werewolf kind for their hatred of magical folk that even he found himself falling into it sometimes. Nevertheless, a small voice in the back of his head nagged at him, ‘Educate him… ignorance is the poison of the world….’ With an inward groan, he knew it was only the right thing to do. Besides, the teaching soul that lived within him was just dying to come out in some way shape or form. “There’s only been one legitimate attempt at coexistence made by the Ministry, and that was decades ago. They threw out the ‘Werewolf Code of Conduct’, which was an uneducated failure.” 

   Happy for any opportunity to get Romulus to talk, Sirius motioned for him to turn so he could wash his other side. “‘Werewolf Code of Conduct’?” 

  “A contract stating one’s lycanthropism and all the guidelines you’ll follow in order to protect non-werewolves. A sad excuse, if you ask me.”

   “I know I wasn’t exactly the best History of Magic student, but this is something I should have heard about.”

   There went another mention of Hogwarts. Guilty envy bubbled up in Romulus’ chest, but he paid it no mind. “Only the  _ important _ bits are written into the books.”

   “Wouldn’t be the first time.”

   This was all besides the point. “Listen to me, Sirius.” With dark eyes, he looked to him menacingly. His tone was grave. “As soon as Fenrir’s teeth broke my skin, everything I was before disappeared.” A rough, scarred hand jabbed a finger at the other’s chest. “And as soon as my teeth break yours, it’ll happen to you too.” As he spoke, he hadn’t realized he’d been leaning closer and closer. Sirius didn’t back down, but stood his ground. “I… am no wizard.” After a moment, his senses realized the proximity with which they were sitting, and he had to pull back. Romulus sighed and closed his eyes. This conversation was getting exhausting. In fact, every one of their conversations felt like it took energy out of him. All he wanted was to relax in the warm water. “Can we just have quiet, please? For a little while?” His muscular shoulders fell, “I’m tired.”

    The younger of the two stayed quiet, seemingly pondering the conversation that’d just passed between them. Good. It was probably hard to hear common sense over all that pure blood money clinking in his pockets. He might have kicked himself for such a childish thought if he had the energy. But having not had a proper bath in years, (only showers,) he couldn’t help but want to just focus on the soothing water. Even if he couldn’t stretch his legs out whatsoever in the little tub, the mixture of humid air and comforting scents almost had him relaxing. In fact, he couldn’t feel any pain at all. These miraculous healing qualities were cause for a little suspicion. Without opening his eyes, he spoke calmly.

   “What did you put in this water?”

   Sirius put down his sponge and started drying his hands on a towel. “Powdered silver and dittany.” Romulus’ head rose, and he opened his eyes with curiosity. How did he know to use that? It looked like he knew exactly what he was thinking. “I’m much more useful with a wand, and just because they’ll scar doesn’t mean you have to make it hard on yourself.” He returned to kneel by the tub and reach under the water by the werewolf’s feet. With a clunk, he took out the drain and held up a towel, smirking all the while. “I’ll look away.”

   There was no getting past it, because they both knew he was too weak to get out and dressed on his own. Careful not to slip, he gripped the sides of the tub and rose. Sitting in that position with his knees practically to his chin made his back stiff. Finally able to stretch, he did so with a half-groan-half-growl, then took the towel with dripping hands and arms. It didn’t look as if Sirius did as he’d said he would- his gaze was still drawn to the half-moon scar on his side, glaringly white compared to the others decorating his skin. He wrapped the towel around his hips with a hand and gave an expectant look.

  A shoulder of support was offered. “Fenrir Greyback is the one who bit you.” It wasn’t a question, just a statement of realization.

   This was a subject he didn’t really want to discuss. Even hearing the name sent a chill down his spine. Supporting his weight on the shorter man, his answer was simple. “Yes, he was.” Besides, that enticing scent was making it hard to think straight again.

   Sirius spoke as he helped the other out of the steamy bathroom and toward the bed. “Why?”

   A scoff as he sat down on the bed. “You ought to ask him that.” Unlike most of Greyback’s victims, he’d been chosen for a specific reason. If he hadn’t, Romulus might’ve been perfectly comfortable talking about it.

   “Arms up.”

   “What-?”

   “I said, arms up.” The man held up a white t-shirt and positioned it over his head.

   “Oh.” Romulus did as he was told, wincing as the fabric brushed the marks on his body. 

   As he sorted through the pile of clothes, Sirius spoke casually. “Rom, what  _ are _ you so afraid of?” His london-fog eyes glanced up to his with sincere interest and what could only be concern.

   He didn’t meet his gaze. “I told you not to call me that.”

   “You didn’t answer my question.” Marble hands helped him into a flannel.

   “That was intentional.”

   He glowered in reply, handing over a pair of underwear as he did so. “Put these on.” He crossed his arms and turned to face the door, still unsatisfied with the answer he’d been given.

   It was hard to fight the urge to chuckle at that, but he did as he was told nevertheless. “You can turn around now.”

   Sirius turned back around with a raised eyebrow and an amused expression. “Don’t I deserve some answers for saving your life?” He picked up the pair of jeans he’d brought, which looked like they might’ve been a size smaller than Romulus preferred.

   He’d have liked to say that he didn’t owe the wizard anything, but that would be a lie. Instead he said, “You don’t even know my last name, and I’m supposed to pour my heart out to you?” It wasn’t like he was prompting Sirius to tell his life story, either. With effort, he pulled the jeans on one leg at a time. They weren’t too small, but a little form fitting for his taste. “I told you, I’m not here because I want to make friends.” 

   “It’s a little late for that, isn’t it?” A self-satisfied grin graced those lips. “After what we’ve been through, you’re stuck with me whether you like it or not.”

   An unamused expression, “You’re mad.”

   “That’s what they tell me.” That charming grin still persisted.

   Jumping through all of these hoops to counter these wily responses was always so tiresome, why didn’t he just accept defeat like a rational person? “Just help me downstairs already.”

   Mockingly, “Yes, master.” He gave a pompous bow, which in itself was annoying, but it was even worse because of the wave of savory cocoa it sent washing over his senses. He stiffened, which Sirius would have noticed had he straightened any sooner. It was a harsh contrast to how relaxed he’d just been. He started toward Romulus, who flinched involuntarily. 

   “On second thought, I need the exercise.”

   He quirked a brow, looking almost offended at the sudden change of tone. “If you fall I’m not sure I’ll be able to catch you again.”

   “I won’t fall.”

  
  


   “As your friend, shouldn’t I be helping you into that chair?” The other watched as if imagining every twinge of pain Romulus felt as he finally sat himself down. The back garden had a nice little sitting area, which in a rare moment of February sun almost made the Welsh countryside look cheerful. Sirius set down a paper bag on the table before taking a seat across from him. 

   The rugged man frowned disapprovingly, “Very funny,” then peered into the paper bag. ‘ _ Oh, thank God.’  _ he thought, as relief washed over him. “Thanks for these.” He was  _ aching _ for one. 

   “I’m just curious why you’d ask me to get them in the first place.”

   The werewolf rapped the carton of cigarettes against his hand to pack them before chuckling and shaking one out. With it in his mouth he struck a match and lit the unhealthy thing.

   “I thought you didn’t like the smell of fag smoke, Rom?” It was odd, this habit of Sirius’ to be so playfully combative. If only he’d get over it.

   He inhaled deeply, taking his time to answer as smoke filled his lungs and nicotine coursed through his veins. It felt like he was finally able to calm down. You only got a head rush if it hurt a little bit, but sometimes it was the very feeling he lived for. Romulus exhaled with a sigh and spoke. “Yeah, but… I’ve been addicted since I was fifteen.” A humorless chuckle. The wizard appeared a little surprised at such an early age, but a wry smile crept onto his face at how hypocritical that was, and Romulus could tell.  He took another drag and blew the smoke out in thought. “But I don’t have to explain myself to you, do I?”

   “Not at all.” The biker looked pleased with himself and nodded as he propped his feet up on the little table between them. “But I like when you do.” 

   This earned him an unamused grunt and an alert flash of green eyes. When Sirius spoke like that it sent up all kinds of walls, whether Romulus meant for it to or not. Still, he remained lax and continued smoking his cigarette. It was helping a lot at the moment, not only by calming his beating heart but by overpowering his senses as well. The nasty habit had its advantages. “I’d have rejected Colleen even if she smelled of rose petals and fresh-cut grass.”

   “Just not your typ-?”

   He continued on without interruption. “The point is, I’m not looking for that anyway. The sooner she realizes that I’m not interested, the better.” This he said looking on at the other intensely, hoping he might get the message. It didn’t look like he did.

   “‘Sounds like that fear is talking again, Rom.”

   “I’ve told you not to call me that.”

    “And I haven’t listened.” Tucking a black curl behind his ear, he smirked and leaned back. “I thought you’d have caught on by now that I don’t do well listening to directions.”

   Another cloud of smoke eased from his lips as he shook his head. “Which is foolish. I’ve already told you you’re going to get yourself killed.”

   “Says the man with a cancer stick between his lips.”

   A scoff. “Don’t tell me you disapprove?” What a funny attribute it would be in comparison to the macho persona he gave off.

   “Not in the least! I’m only saying that I think I can look after myself.”

   Romulus wasn’t about to speak, but the sound of the doorbell interrupted his guarded stare anyway. Promptly, the shorter of the two nearly fell as he took his feet down and hopped up in alarm. His face was a little scruffy and his raven hair wild, but looked put together anyway. Black seemed to just be one of those kinds of people that looked good without much effort, which made no sense at all and wasn’t fair in the slightest. “He couldn’t be here already-!” And dashed in through the back door.

     These may very well have been his last moments in silence for quite some while. As he continued finishing his cigarette, he surveyed the countryside in quiet thought. It wasn’t anything special, but those rolling green hills and scatterings of sheep used to be something he took pride in, especially as a child. Now, it only brought bad memories. Memories of teeth and flesh and fur.

   Smoke in hand, there wasn’t a whole lot he could do but wait. This ‘James’ kid was paying a visit whether he liked it or not. It wasn’t his place, so who was he to make any objections? Still, a twinge of.. something stirred in his stomach. The idea of this newcomer gave him an uneasy feeling. How did he know Sirius anyway? They’d gone to school together, but apparently had been living together until not too long ago as well. It wasn’t prudent to make assumptions, but he couldn’t help the inkling that they were closer than just school going buddies. It would explain the secrecy with which Sirius handled James as a subject. That, and the apprehension at his visiting in the first place, not to mention leaving the werewolf out of the conversation through the mirror. Even though times were changing, it was still something to be wary about. This wasn’t what was bothering him, though. Despite thinking it over so elaborately, he still couldn’t quite pinpoint the feeling.

   “You ought to have just  _ told _ me, Lottie boy! When have I ever had any objection to company?” Muffled voices floated in through the screen door before it swung open once more, and the newcomer came into view. Behind him, Sirius wore a sheepish grin, as if his friend hadn’t given him much opportunity to explain. James was taller than Romulus had expected- almost as tall as he was. He was thin, with black windblown hair sticking up in the back and an easy smile. It hadn’t been easy to catch a very good glimpse from over Sirius’ shoulder the day before, but now it was easy to understand how the two’d been drawn to each other. They both had a similar air of confidence in their manner, although James’ was that of the proud golden boy, the starchild. That was to be expected. When he spoke, it was with an almost impolite level of familiarity, and he boldly held out a hand. “Oi! I’m James. You must be the bird with the broken wing- this old sod hasn’t introduced us! I’m sure we’ll be good friends.”

   Without a word, without so much as a change of expression, Romulus painfully pushed himself to stand over him. It was important to stamp out this insistence on friendship they both seemed to possess. “Romulus.” With a scarred hand, he put out his cigarette. “And we won’t.” In fact, this one was starting to irritate him so much he was considering just ignoring him for the entirety of his stay. Why did wizards always have to be so pompous and grandiose?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m excited!!!! Also, next chapter will be sirius’ POV again!! Let me know how u feel about the idea of a James pov chapter too, I’m still trepidatious about it


	7. justice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The end of introductions and finally a look at Sirius’ feelings on matters.

  Sirius ought to have known introductions would go about this well. He watched as there was an awkward pause in the conversation and that hand still hung in the air waiting to be shaken, like the rejected olive branch of friendship that it was. James looked as if he’d been slapped in the face, and was still gathering his wits about him. He definitely hadn’t seen that coming, especially when the man had been described as, ‘a lost, wounded soul that needed mending.’ If only he’d been been given time to further elaborate on the situation. It was his miserable job to break the silence, as the one who brought them together in the first place. “Why don’t we let Rom smoke another cigarette while I show you ‘round the place, yeah ‘Tan?”

   James seemed to regain his composure. The smile that had frozen on his face was replaced with carefree indifference while his hazel eyes flickered back to his friend. “Yeah, it’s a little chilly out here anyway.” That comment very blatantly had more than one meaning. There was a surreptitious glance to Romulus behind him, who looked as if he’d just squished a particularly nasty bug. It was a disappointing start, but he hadn’t lost hope yet. After all, the two barely knew each other. 

   “I’ll be only a moment.” After the sound of the screen door shutting behind his wizard friend, Sirius’ lax composure hardened. If he was going to be taken seriously, he’d have to assert himself.

   The werewolf spoke with another cigarette in his mouth, lighting it nonchalantly. “ _ He’s _ awfully fond of himself, isn’t he?”

   “You need to behave yourself.” There was no smile in his tone now,  just stern disapproval. Living with his mother, he’d only learned from the best.

   He looked struck by this sudden change in attitude. “What?”

   Now that it was clear how things were going to work, it was time to lay down the law. “Just because I can handle your bristly remarks and harsh rejections doesn’t mean you have free reign, Rom.”

   “Don’t  _ call _ me that-”

   “I’ve taken you in, saved your life, tended your wounds- hell, even bathed you!- and still, you shut me out.” After a few days with him it was starting to get more and more noticeable, especially more recently. What was with him and personal space? It was the truth and he wasn’t afraid to say it, even when it seemed to strike a chord in the taller man, who only blew smoke and waited for him to finish in silence. “It’s angsty and weird, but I can manage it. What I can’t manage is you being a dickhead to James, even if he is kind of a dickhead himself sometimes.” Something harsh was playing on the tip of his tongue, but he figured the guy could take it and took the plunge. “I want you keeping your self-destructive tendencies to yourself.”

    Romulus raised his eyebrows at that. There was a pause and another cloud of smoke as he held Sirius’ gaze. His simple reply was unexpected. “Alright.”

   He’d expected more of a fight, or at least some kind of protest. Such an easy response gave him mixed feelings. He didn’t like having to put his foot down like that very much because it made him feel like a child wearing his parent’s clothing. A little bit of ease leaked back into his features and his shoulders relaxed once more. “Thank you.” God knew it was hard enough doing his job without James getting all miffed over rude strangers. “And don’t fret- he still doesn’t know.” Alarm and recognition bolted across those green eyes, but there was no answer. It seemed that was the end of their conversation. 

  
  


   Upon his return, Sirius found his friend mucking about in the kitchen. The tip of James’ wand moved in small casual circles as it rotated ingredients in midair beside him. “You don’t have any eggs, Sirius. If I’m going to be making you two breakfast you’ll need to turn some of these sorry frozen dinners into chickens.” The messy-haired man turned to face him and chuckled. Although a smile still held in those hazel eyes, a hint of annoyance was still left over from the irritating conversation he’d had with Romulus, and Sirius could tell.

   “You filled the entire first floor with burnt scrambled eggs last time you made breakfast.”

   “Well I don’t see you doing any better, do I?”

   “Touche.” Sirius sat down with a smirk. Yes he’d missed his cousin in the month or so that’d passed, but a break from the mischief that always followed when they were together was nice too.

   He flicked his wand to send everything back to the shelves where it belonged, then claimed a seat across from Black in a cool manner. “So, what’s the deal with him?” and gestured toward the back garden.

  It was bound to come up eventually. They talked about everything, so lying would be hard. “Romulus was hurt in the attack on Friday. He’s a bit of an emotional hermit.” Avoiding sensitive information seemed the best route to take.

   “Sirius Black, you’ll do anything to rebel against your mother, won’t you?” Another laugh from the other. “It all makes sense now.”

   Without even thinking, he frowned and scoffed at that remark. “It’s not like that at all, James.”

   It were as if he could hear the spring of the trap. “Oh, well what  _ is _ it like, then?”

   Was he alluding to Romulus’ lycanthropism? He couldn’t have caught on so quickly. Even if he had, there was no way it was from anything Sirius could remember saying. In fact, he’d been perfectly tight lipped about the whole thing. “I think he may be valuable in my mission for ‘King Arthur.’” This was true, whether the guy was a werewolf or not.

   “Ahhhh.” He ruffled his short black hair with one hand and shook his head. “See, dragons are loads less complicated. As long as you fireproof your broom you’re set.” A chuckle, “Some good hair regrowth spells are handy, too.”

   “I wasn’t going to  _ mention _ the terrible odor of burning human hair, but…”

   James snorted and gave a playful kick under the table. “Shut up, you nob. My beautiful brows being burned to bits is just the price I have to pay.”

    He rubbed his sore shin with a chuckle. “And somehow that makes abusing your cousin Dumbledore’s orders as well?”

    “Yeah, didn’t you hear? Greasy haired dolts aren’t allowed in The Order anymore- ” Their chairs scraped from beneath them as he made moves to put Sirius in a headlock and the latter ducked out of the way.

   Black placed his chair between them and stepped back with a grin. “You’re awfully slow for a quidditch champion, Potter. Out of practice?” This was only normal- they played and fought like brothers and always had. Sometimes there was a lot of damage done in the process, but with the aid of magic there weren’t too many things they couldn’t repair in the end.

   “Says the Doobie Brothers reject! When’s the last time you so much as  _ looked _ at a Quaffle?”

   “You know I only play Beater as a  hobby -!” On the last word he dove for James, tackling him to the tile in the process. That’d teach him for thinking he could get away with grabbing at him. 

   “No wonder you’re so-” The tussled on the kitchen floor, “-bloody shit at it then!” They were still pushing and pulling and hitting each other when the back door opened. Normally, they’d have continued as if they were still boys in the Gryffindor common room, but in this moment they stopped. There Romulus stood, observing in his stone-faced and steely manner. Immediately, Sirius felt sheepish and immature. His grip of black hair loosened, as did James’ on the front of his shirt.

   “I thought I heard fighting, but I suppose I was wrong.” That hard gaze didn’t leave them as they both stood and brushed themselves off.

   James, still breathless, spoke first. “Just a little bit of fun, Ro- er, Romulus.” He’d almost slipped up, but looked proud that he’d already remembered to catch himself. That was the kind of person he could be: careful not to make the same mistake twice, (when he knew he was making a mistake in the first place.)

   “We were just about to pop into town for breakfast. You want anything?”

   The wolf’s brooding frown didn’t meet their eyes, but it was apologetic in its own way as he cleared his throat. “I can make breakfast.” The two wizard’s eyes both lit up at the prospect. It was normal for them to get excited at a home-cooked meal, but they were also delighted at such a kind gesture from so surly a man. It was unexpected, but by all means welcome. “Just make sure to stay out of the way.” Immediately, the two picked up their chairs and took their places at the dining table obediently, almost as their way of saying thank you. Romulus shook his head and murmured something about them behaving like animals. As they watched him gather the appropriate ingredients, the eggs ended up being in the fridge the whole time. This led to a raised eyebrow from Sirius to James.

  His explanation was, “Guess they were hiding.” Which led to them both smirking, but him getting a good punch in his arm anyway.

   Romulus did not deign to take part in any of their lively conversations as he prepared and cooked, but as the sound of sizzling eggs and the smell of crackling bacon filled the air, it was hard to keep the focus off of him for too long. It was the ‘rejected Doobie Brother’ of the three that said something first: “Mm. Bacon, eggs,  _ and _ tomato-?” Sirius got up to peer around him at the delicious smelling meal. When he (apparently) got too close, the werewolf flinched and put some personal space between them. He frowned at that. Only recently he’d started doing that again, like a beaten dog afraid of being punished for doing something he wasn’t supposed to.

   “Put the toast in, would you?”

   “In what?” This earned him first an expression of scorn, then of realization that Black was being sincere. Toasters weren’t something he’d been around too often in the wizarding world. It was usually the house elves that made toast, anyway. He was holding up the bread as innocently as he could, but all too many times he’d been told his ‘sincere’ seemed more ‘devilish’ to others. Usually, it was taken as a compliment. 

   When the scarred man pointed to what Sirius could only assume was the toaster- another shiny metal box, this one with slots on top- his elegant brow furrowed. “And the bread goes in there?” As his fingers ran over the slots, he tried to peer in, but saw only darkness. It was so  _ odd _ the things muggles designed for these kinds of things.

   “Yes. You put them in and push down the lever.”

   “Wait wait wait! I want to see how this turns out.” James gave a snicker and came round to observe over his cousin’s shoulder.

    For a moment, there was no more movement to make toast. Romulus frowned politely as he spoke, “Is something the matter?”

   “Well if I put the bread in, how do we know it’ll come back out?” Behind him, James seemed to think this was a perfectly reasonable question to ask. His hesitation to put the slices of bread in persisted.

   “I can assure you that the bread will come back out, you two. Do you need help?” It was offered in a condescending manner, as if making toast were the simplest thing on earth. And it was! With a wand in hand, of course. 

   Being spoken to like that was irritating- it wasn’t a lack of intelligence he had, but knowledge. His words were cold. “No, I’ve got it.” He didn’t think Romulus took notice.

   James certainly had, as he’d taken it upon himself to start spreading butter on uncooked bread beside him. “I don’t know about you two, but I’ve always liked my toast the old fashioned way. Besides, I already ate.” And with a flash of his glasses, grabbed a plate to take into the sitting room. 

   Food still hissed and popped in the pan. It smelled fantastic. For a moment, the wizard and werewolf left behind could only stand in silence, simply existing next to each other. 

   “The bread is popped back up by a spring once the timer is done.” Was Romulus’ only quiet comment.

   Usually this kind of comment would make him feel foolish, but it was considerate coming from him. “Right, of course.” Sirius had already put the bread down for toasting anyway, and watched the other’s strong hands so carefully flip an egg, then a tomato. Who’d taught this wild thing to cook? For some reason, it was hard to drag his eyes away. Perhaps it was that he didn’t care, but he didn’t look away until after he was noticed. It made his attention switch from Romulus’ hands to his face. The man wouldn’t return the look of curiosity, only focused on the pan and spatula in hand. Finally, the wizard resigned himself to buttering the toast that’d popped up, and found himself deep in thought.

   Why was he doing all of this? Not only breakfast of course, but everything that had happened in so little time. Although he had shown a bold face every time it’d been brought up, Black hadn’t been too proud to question himself multiple times in the last week. James would say the reason was to fight for the greater good, and in the past that might’ve been his answer too. After all, that kid at the bonfire died right in front of his eyes, and there was no way to know if the others had succeeded in escaping or not. Perhaps, (just like James,) he was fighting to keep what happened to those muggles from happening to anyone else. In a way, this was still true. He wanted to feel justice brought to the welsh countryside and for muggles to be able to live free from fear. But most of all? To make Fenrir Greyback pay for what he had done. Most of all, he wanted that monster to pay for what he’d done to Romulus to break him so deeply, so completely.

   Every single one of the werewolf’s efforts to scare Sirius away had failed, and epically. At first pursuing the guy had only been on an adventurous lark, but it was like one taste of that kindness in his gaze and he was hooked. Obviously something terrible had happened to Rom to make him build such elaborate walls around his shattered self, and the light of his true personality was showing through the cracks between each piece. Without even meaning to, the wizard found every push away hardened his resolve further. Maybe it  _ was  _ just his rebellious personality like his cousin said. Maybe it  _ was _ just his boredom of the same monotonous routine with girls falling at his feet. Maybe it  _ was _ an endless amount of work with little to no payoff. And maybe… he’d let himself fall too far into it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like this chapter is short, but James was fun to write so I think it’s ok haha


	8. hungry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A letter from Dumbledore, followed by some terse conversations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry- Not only did I revise the past chapters, but I've also been busy scheduling the future ones. I hope you will be happy to hear this fanfic is scheduled for at least fifteen more chapters! (I KNOW, a LOT of work.)  
> I'd love to know what you think about this chapter specifically, since it took so long.

   “Breakfast is ready.” With that smooth, rumbling voice the other jarred him from his thoughts quite suddenly. Metal blade connected with soft fleshy palm, and Sirius inhaled sharply in pain. Romulus moved with reflexive speed- those hands he’d been watching cook moments before had abandoned their place at the stove and instead were going over his own with gentle concern. “You can’t be so absent minded in the kitchen, Sirius.” It was heartwarming to see him so worried, to hear his tone soften so readily.

     The gash was worse than he’d thought, but nothing that couldn’t be fixed with a simple healing spell. Then again, magic wasn’t allowed, now was it? It was hard to keep a smug grin off of his face as he allowed himself to be fussed over instead. “Oh, it’s nothing.” He felt like he was being sheltered from the rain by a tall oak. It was unusual for the mystery man to be so close without flinching, but that whiskered jawline was only inches away.

   Unfortunately, the closeness of their proximity never went unnoticed for long. As soon as those tired eyes met his, a wall went up in them again and he broke contact hastily. “I trust you can take care of that.”

   As usual, it only filled his heart with determination to see that softer, truer side of Romulus make another appearance. With a short sigh of annoyance and dissatisfaction, the biker took his wand from his pocket. It didn't take any more than a few moments for him to mutter, "Episkey.” before the seam of muscle and flesh in his hand threaded itself back together. He wasn't aware of his one man audience until he heard the clinking of dishes resume just after his hand finished healing. Maybe this werewolf wasn't as condemning of magic as most of his kind were.

    “I heard breakfast was ready. Am I invited even if I’m not eating?”

   The sound of James returning from down the hall seemed to further motivate him to clam up. Nevertheless, their dutiful chef set plates of delicious food down at the table with casual care. Breakfast sausage, fried tomato and eggs, and what was left of the toast. This seemed to be Romulus’ excuse not to answer.

   He spoke and sat down across from the tall man. ¨There‘s always room for more.¨

   ‘Tristan’‘ chose his place next to Sirius. ¨Good, that means I can entertain you with my fantastic adventures.¨ The commentary continued along its playful path for a while as the two of them ate and the other talked, and the food was even better than Hogwarts, (even if the bacon _was_ a little underdone.) Although it was amusing to listen as James told stories of things like playing keep away with dragon eggs and Peter‘s failed attempts to catch, it was hard not to get distracted. Multitasking wasn‘t an enormous strong suit of his, and he couldn’t help watching Romulus‘ reaction to everything. Even so much as a smirk at the conversation would have given Sirius’ heart a lift, but that ended up being too much to hope for. His walls were up and the shutters closed, even more so now that James was here. It made his massive trust issues glaringly apparent.

   It was he who first broke James’ monologue. “Wait. What’s that?¨ An owl had just landed on the window sill across the room, envelope in beak. Black’s chair scraped against the floor as he got up hastily and took the letter in hand. “Something’s wrong.” That white paper crinkled, crisp like vanilla milk. His brow furrowed in worry, elegant hands hesitating to open it.

   “You haven’t read it yet.” James still had optimism that it might contain good news.

   “Nobody knows we’re here, do they?” He was only given an unconvincing shrug in response.

   “Well go on and open it, then.” It was unexpected to hear that third voice chime in, but Sirius didn’t need to be told twice.

   He tore open the neat wax seal, then jumped as a few harmless sparks flew from the letter. A glance to the other two; James had only chuckled at Dumbledore’s extravagance, while the werewolf looked as if he were about to bolt out the door. “Probably just a protective charm.” Black reassured him. This didn’t do much to help the man’s composure, but he sat back down nonetheless. Sirius tried to look important as he quickly unfolded the pristine paper and read over the contents.

   

_Dear Sirs Lancelot and Tristan,_

                     _I would like to invite you to our next little chat tomorrow evening. If you’d be so kind, I request that we meet in the Sherwood Forest tomorrow._

_I hope you are enjoying your holiday in the countryside, Lancelot._

 

_Yours sincerely,_

_King Arthur_

 

_P.S: You might want to bring a bathing suit, the lake is great for an invigorating swim._

 

   Yes, they’d clued the old man in on their little nickname for him long ago. With an irresistible smile at Professor Dumbledore’s eccentric style, ‘Lancelot’ passed the letter to James once he had finished reading. “Looks like we’ve got a party to attend.” Sirius looked curiously to their canine-inclined friend. If the two wizards were leaving, that meant life would have to continue on here without him. This begged the question, ‘Where did Romulus live?’

It was a bold, confident voice that broke his thoughts once more. “Shall we bring the drinks?” ‘After those hazel eyes finished skimming the note, James had looked up with excitement- it practically crackled in the air around him. Whether he spoke seriously about it or not, ‘Tristan’ had always enjoyed adventure and taken relish in the satisfaction that came from fighting for the greater good. Especially after they graduated, for he’d started throwing his whole heart and soul into The Order. This may have been due in large part to the aversion to boredom he shared with Sirius, but both he and Peter knew this wasn’t the entire story.

   “Looks like it’s a good thing I fixed my bike yesterday.” It occurred to him that that’d also been the last time Rom passed out. A few days after the full moon, and while the pallor in Romulus’ face had lifted, his wounds still hadn’t healed. And they wouldn’t for some time, from what he’d read and heard. The impulse to take him to a professional like Madam Pomfrey persisted, though he knew that might not turn out well.

   “What happened to it?” It wasn’t surprising to hear James pipe up.

   There was no need to lie about this one- it made sense from what he’d already told his friend. Besides, the more lies spun, the more difficult it was to navigate the web. “We had some trouble getting out of the forest in one piece, that’s all.”

   “Almost makes me jealous.” ‘Tristan’ chuckled as he spoke. “Although I’m not too keen on getting bitten by one of those things.” Sirius could’ve sworn he saw a derisive chuckle from Romulus out of the corner of his eye, but the man only stood to take their dishes to the sink without a word. It was obvious to both of them that James didn’t completely understand the danger or weight of the situation, but it would be no use trying to explain to him, he’d already moved on. “Well, that means we ought to get on our way, wouldn’t you say?” That was him- always moving, always antsy to move on to a more entertaining adventure than the last.

   “We can’t leave Rom here alone.” He’d been washing dishes as he listened, but at the mention of his name the werewolf perked up. Still, he stayed silent.

   “Come now Sirius, he seems the kind of man that can take care of himself.” The messy haired extrovert addressed Romulus directly now, almost as if challenging him. “You don’t mind me stealing this one away from you for a while, do you?” Sirius watched that strong back bristle, waiting for the hostility he’d already gotten so used to.

   The tall brooding man finally turned around to face them. When he spoke it was with quiet simplicity, hands busy drying a plate. “I’ll go back to my flat”

   James glanced over with a tilt of his head, but Sirius wasn’t paying very close attention. ‘ _He had a flat?_ ’ “Splendid! Everything’s set then.”

   “What?” While the idea peaked his interest, it also tied a knot of uncertainty in his throat. If Romulus had somewhere to go, then how would he ever see him again? But, how could he protest, when there was no legitimate reason to?

   “It’s decided. Today we relax, and tomorrow we take our friend home to repay him for breakfast.” Both werewolf and wizard alike looked perplexed at this statement. “Besides, I only arrived an hour ago. It wouldn’t make much sense to leave before I’ve spent the night, would it?” The thought hadn’t even occurred to Sirius. While it wasn’t unlike James to take charge, all too often his plans were a little half-baked. However, this was one he could get behind. It was hard enough trying to contain the smile of excitement pressing at his lips- he’d love to get a glimpse of where Romulus lived, where he slept. He was like a different creature when sleeping... none of that rigid, defensive rubbish always clouding his expression.

    “I can get there on my own just fine.” Rom spoke tensely, as if he liked being told what to do about as much as a poke in the eye with a sharp stick.

    Unfortunately, there wasn’t much room to argue when it was two against one. Sirius tried to hold back his smile at the frustration he saw in the other. _Now_ who couldn’t argue for no reason? “Too right, James.” When he chimed in, it provoked a darting look of indignance, but Sirius only returned it with a sly smile. He’d been accused of getting off on bad attention before, and in situations like these it wasn’t hard to see why. He was always poking the sleeping bear.

   “Really, I’d prefer not-”

    “Nonsense! After what you’ve been through we aren’t exactly going to make you walk, are we?” Before anything else could be said, James looked over to ‘Lancelot’ pointedly. He was relying on that same unconditional support that’d been so readily supplied in the past.

   This time, just like any other, Black smiled and nodded with casual poise. Then, (fully aware of his skillset,) his piercing gray gaze was trained on Romulus. Some said his tongue was every bit as silver as his eyes, but that was nonsense. Besides, who listened to idle schoolgirl chatter anymore, anyway? It was almost his own kind of magic that reinforced his words with finality and purpose, “It only makes sense.” And with that final statement, the plans were set in unspoken stone. Being in charge felt so good.

 

 

    Breakfast ended up being the last time the three of them would be in a room together for the rest of the day. From Sirius’ point of view, this seemed to be brought on by the rift between James and Romulus. He knew their personalities were bound to clash, but it made finding time to slip in a conversation with Rom difficult when all James wanted to do was catch up on lost time. After magically tidying up the place, the two of them had been left to lounge in the sitting room. (James didn’t like the smell of cigarette smoke.) For a while he was content to prattle on about dragons and sand and girls, but stopped when he noticed it was falling on deaf ears.

   “Do you trust him?”

   Sirius had been mindlessly tapping through ‘teavee’ channels with his wand, lost in thought again. “Dumbledore? ‘Course I do.”

   “Not him, ‘Lance. Romulus.”

   He could feel the spark of interest that lit up his eyes, but tried to think about his answer before he gave it. Did he trust Romulus? The werewolf he’d rescued and nursed back to health didn’t exactly trust _him,_ that was for sure. From what he’d seen, (the defense of Colleen, the reluctance to take part in downright evil werewolf activities, and everything he’d said to ‘protect’ Sirius,) there was kindness written in the fabric of his very being, bitten or not. And yet, the question still remained. Without much to go off of, all he could say was how he felt. “I don’t know. I think so.”

   James seemed to notice the defeat in his voice, but nonchalantly continued picking at his nails anyway. “‘Just a good idea to keep your wits about you.” This was said with that nonchalant tone he liked to use when he didn’t want to sound too serious.

   It was comforting to know that someone cared, but his comment only added to the conflict turning over and over in Sirius’ head. For a moment he almost forgot to answer amidst his thoughts, but managed to scrape together a, “Nonsense, I’ve got you to watch my back.”

  “Very funny.” In this day and age, it was something to take seriously. His friend had already gotten up, but playfully prodded him with a foot at his remark. “Shut up and come help me make dinner.”

   “What are we making, charcoal loaf?” He quirked a brow and chuckled; it was easy to revert back to silliness, and they were both well aware of their abysmal cooking skills.

   “Yeah, complete with burnt parsley for garnish.” James was already making his way to the kitchen, voice trailing down the hallway. “Come on muttonhead, we’re having beans on toast tonight- my treat!”

 

 

 

   For the first time in years, Sirius Black felt obligated to be uncomfortably polite at the dinner table. The three of them were already seated and eating, and truth be told the similarity to past family meals positively made his skin crawl. He’d never been good at navigating awkward situations, but this one felt insurmountable with both James and Romulus’ stony silences combined. A few times he’d looked up in hopes of seeing an opening in conversation, but to no avail. Neither of the two seemed keen on making conversation. Finally, it was too much for him to take anymore.

   “So, uh… who wants to take the couch tonight?” The question immediately caught the attention of both men.

   Romulus spoke first. “I will- you two probably want to share the bed.” This comment caused confusion for Sirius; why would he use that as an excuse, instead of wanting to be alone as he usually did?

   “What-?”

   There was no time to ask him to elaborate, as James had already started to reply in his take-charge kind of way. “You take the bed, Sirius and I are used to camping out on the floor.”

   For some reason, the idea of sleeping upstairs seemed to be a source of anxiety for the werewolf. “I really don’t mind.”

   Curious, Black spoke up. “You _are_ injured, Rom.”

   A searing glare was flashed his way, positively making the hair stand up on his arms. Apparently, he’d sided with James one too many times. That, and it was always a gamble using that nickname. With a clenching of his jaw, the tall man scraped back his chair and pulled a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket. “Do what you want.” While his tone wasn’t harsh, his rigid body language was; he left them there, screen door shutting loudly behind him.

 

 

 

   “You’re terrible at keeping a secret, Lance.” They’d only been left alone for a moment, but James had taken the opportunity to speak to him as soon as they’d heard the door close upstairs.

    This put Sirius on high alert, hoping that this wasn’t about what he thought it was. “What do you mean?”

   With a snort, his friend tossed a band shirt at him with playful force, and he caught it with an uneasy smile. “Don’t try to play coy with me. I know what he is.”

   Halfway through changing he froze, then spoke slowly. “...And what is that?”

   This earned him an eye roll from Potter, who spoke quietly, but with a sort of excitement. “A werewolf, of course. And not a new one, either.” He chuckled at the thought, “You don’t get that impetuously grumpy overnight.”

   Dread washed over him at the realization that it _was_ about what he thought it was. Romulus’ secret had been discovered. How the guy kept it hidden so easily from the rest of the world was a mystery to him. “He didn’t want anyone to know, Tris-”

   “But before we continue on about that, you owe me some answers first.” Uh oh. “Clearly something has gone on between you two, but what I’m confused about is why he seems so keen on never seeing this place again. I mean, usually you have the opposite problem. Remember that Marlene girl? It took you months to get her off your back after that little rendezvous in Hogsmeade-”

   “Wait, what?”

   The other finished pulling on his shirt and gave another exasperated look from beneath those glasses. “When you two snogged in the basement of Honeydukes and she thought it was some kind of engagement?”

   Sirius was immensely confused. Tristan, (James,) was talking about this almost as if Romulus were just another of his fleeting fancies, and while they’d had similar conversations before, this time was different due to more than one glaring factor.  “It’s not like that with Rom, we’re just friends.”

   There was a brassy, good-natured laugh. “‘Just friends’ that make you smile and stare like a mole?” The teasing tone he was using bordered on insulting, obviously disguising the mistrust he felt for the werewolf.

   He repeated himself, trying to stress the same point, no matter how much he wished it weren’t the case. “ _It’s not like that._ ” Surprisingly, the act sent a chord of something like regret through his chest. It was like saying the phrase out loud solidified it, made it true. Still, it was hard to completely extinguish his own hope- or maybe it was more of a stubborn streak. “He needs help, and… I think he could be a valuable asset to my work.”

   An almost mocking snicker ruffled his feathers in response. “‘Asset?’ ‘Your work?’ You really _are_ serious about this, aren’t you?”

   “I am, James.” For a moment, it almost felt as if they were talking about something else; two parallel conversations with the same words and different meanings. While they’d hedged around similarly vulnerable subjects involving Sirius, never did they venture past hypotheticals. It was a little daunting to discuss despite James’ casual way of talking about things, and after all these years still held a stigma even within his own mind. “It’s only been a  week I know, but you haven’t seen what I have.” The next words were said without much thought, but once they were, almost embarrassed Sirius. “I can’t send him back to those monsters.”

   By Merlin’s grace, the other didn’t bat a hazel eye. Almost instantly, he seemed to understand. “It’s that bad, huh?” The man nodded gravely, then, (to Sirius’ relief,) offered a different kind of smile- that of a brother, assuring and empathetic. “Looks like ‘Arthur’s going to get an earful, isn’t he?”

**Author's Note:**

> I'll be doing my best to update this once every two weeks, if not once a week. Please leave a kudos/comment to let me know you like it so I know to continue! Thanks


End file.
